


We're Okay

by LuxAve



Series: Let's Be Okay [4]
Category: Big Hero 6 (2014)
Genre: Anxiety, Drug Abuse, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-07-14
Packaged: 2018-03-30 05:05:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 45,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3923959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuxAve/pseuds/LuxAve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Witnessing his professor stealing his little brother’s showcase invention had landed the collage student in burning trouble. Adjusting to the life he had before is going to be challenging – between the nightmares, PTSD, anxiety, and flashbacks, he’s going to need all the support he can get. But will he ever return to the Tadashi they all knew before?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> The sequel to You're Okay. 
> 
> Grammar is still nonexistent, but I'll try to add more details into my writing. 
> 
>  
> 
> Don't own the characters. (but I wish I owned Mochi, I love 'that darn cat'!)

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter One**

 

“HIRO!”

 

The fourteen year old was fast asleep prior to his name being shouted, he jerked awake and fell off the bed, tangled in blankets and sheets. “Aunt Cass?!” He called downstairs as he stumbled out of the imprisonment of the bedding and raced down the stairs. “Aunt Cass?” He repeated, voice full of worry and concern. He tripped down the last few steps after the landing, his three-fourths mind still not working with his balance at the moment. He skidded to a stop in the living room where his aunt was bouncing in place, phone in hand, and tears streaming down her face. “What? What’s wrong?” He asked.

 

It threw him off when he was grabbed into a hug, a hug he couldn’t weasel out of.

 

“Aunt Cass, you’re scaring me. What happened?” He was shaking no; her actions were both confusing and frightening.

 

She practically squealed something into his hair that he couldn’t understand as she held him tight. He didn’t try to pull away after that, nor try to get her to repeat just what she was saying. It must be something good if she was laughing and jumping around while she dragged him with her.  

 

It took a few minutes for her to calm down enough to stop the mouse squeak pitched voice and let him go. She took a step back, eyes still tearing up and spilling down her cheeks. “He-” She interrupted herself with a happy sob escaping her lips instead of words, her hand pushed her bangs back out of her eyes so she could see the younger Hamada.

 

“What?” Hiro looked at her, “I couldn’t understand a word you said.” He led her over to the couch and sat down.

 

She took a breath, smile on her face. “An officer just called.” She repeated her story again, but this time, more calmly.

 

His heart wanted to drop, but it wasn’t quite sure. Half of his mind flipped at the fact that the only reason he could think of, for an officer to call in the middle of the night, was because Callaghan escaped and his aunt and him needed to be put into the witness protection program. But then again, his aunt seemed happy, over the moon, giddy. She wouldn't be acting that way if she was just told a murder her nephew helped put away escaped and they needed to move.

 

“Callaghan,” Cass continued, taking a side note at the fact the young Hamada beside her tensed up at the name. “Callaghan confessed to the whole thing.”

 

Hiro tilted his head to the side, hair moving in front of his eyes. “I thought that was kind of obvious that he did all of that.” He waved his arms around to emphasize. “He _was_ the one controlling the Microbots, and police arrested him on location.”

 

She shook her head. “No, he confessed to starting the fire, and,” She paused for a moment, looking at her youngest nephew in the eyes to show she was completely serious about what she was going to say. “That Tadashi’s alive.”

 

He froze. Too many thoughts flashed in his mind, trying to fight their way to the forefront and be the first thing asked.

 

Tadashi was alive? As in _alive_? Unhurt? In one piece? Alive? _Alivealivealive_?

 

Tadashi couldn’t be alive. He watched his selfless bastard of an older brother run into the _burning_ building. Hiro stood on the sidewalk and watched the showcase hall crumble into nothing but ash and smoking debris. Tadashi couldn’t have survived that.

 

 _But Callaghan survived_. His mind reminded him. _He had your Microbots. And he_ did _avoid your statement about him letting Tadashi die. Your brother could still be alive._

He was so confused. His thoughts were contradicting each other. _But he also didn’t deny that he let Tadashi die._

 

“W-what?” Was all he managed to ask, in complete disbelief. “That’s not something to joke about!” He snapped angrily and stood up from his seat. 

 

Cass nodded. “Hiro, I’m not lying, I’m not joking.” She reached out for him, but he moved from her reach. “He’s alive.”

 

He shook his head. “I don’t believe you, Aunt Cass.” He mumbled. “I’m sorry, but I don’t.”

 

“The officer had called me earlier this evening to let me know they had word that Tadashi was alive, but I didn’t want to tell you until we knew for sure.” She told him despite him frantically shaking his head.

 

Tears began to stream down his face.

 

The world could be cruel, that had been established in Hiro’s mind when his brother, his brother who had never done anything to warrant that kind of an ending, ran into that fire. And the world showed it could be much colder when Callaghan was unmasked as the person who caused the fire and everything that followed. But now it was crossing the extreme line.

 

“He’s at the hospital.” Cass continued, unknowing of her youngest nephew’s inner argument. “He’s awake and responding-”

 

“Let’s go!” Hiro suddenly jumped up and ran around the room, the more positive side of his thoughts won over the negative. “I’ll get my shoes!” He flew up the stairs before she could say anything. He grabbed his phone and his shoes, completely ignoring the fact that we was going to go run around in a public place in his robot pajama pants and a white tank top. And it was only thanks to his aunt for grabbing him a jacket from the laundry room; otherwise he would have gotten cold.

 

“Oh my gosh, I can't breathe.” He mumbled as they climbed into their truck’s cab. He zipped up his jacket as Cass started the truck and began to pull out of the parking space.

 

“Buckle up.” She instructed.

 

“Oops.” He muttered and did as he was told. “Is he okay?”

 

Cass shrugged. “I’m not sure, hun.” She glanced over at him before looking back to the road. “I didn’t really pay attention after I heard he was alive and responding to them.”

 

Hiro sat back and watched the city go by as they rode the rest of the trip in silence.

 

“Now wait until I stop the car!” She half scolded the boy, already knowing what the fourteen year old was planning on doing, as they pulled into the hospital parking lot.

 

He crossed his arms and huffed a breath. “Fine.” He half-heartedly grumped.

 

To be fair, he did wait until she stopped before he jumped out, but he never promised he wouldn't unbuckle and already be opening the door as she pulled into the parking spot. But, Cass wasn’t that far behind him, if she were being honest with herself, if she hadn’t been driving, she would have done the same thing.

 

They both raced to the receptionist desk, scaring the attendant sitting there.

 

“Hello.” The young lady greeted once she got over the initial shock of them suddenly appearing.

 

“Hi, I received a call a little while ago about Tadashi Hamada.” Cass began to talk to the receptionist.

 

The barely out of college girl nodded and typed something into the computer. “The doctor will be out in a bit to talk to you.” She smiled.

 

Cass let out a relieved breath, part of her was afraid that they hadn’t actually found her oldest nephew, and that this was all a very cruel joke that she would never laugh at, nor understand. “Thank you.” She ushered the fourteen-year-old over to some chairs by the door the lady had pointed towards.

 

(---)

 

They didn’t have all that long of a wait, just a handful or two of minutes before the doctor walked out.

 

“Cass Hamada?” The almost elderly male asked as he walked through the doors.

 

“Yes?” She stood up and held out her hand to shake his, Hiro standing right behind her.

 

“I’m Dr. Stevens, I’ve been taking care of your nephew since he was brought in.” He introduced. “I’m sure you’ve got questions, if you follow me, we’ll talk in my office.” He led them back through the doors he just came in, and down a long hallway to his office.

 

“How is he?” Cass asked once they entered the room, her and Hiro taking a seat in the chairs in front of a desk.

 

He didn’t answer for a few seconds, instead closing the door and making his way to his desk. “He’s actually doing a lot well than we had expected.” He began to explain as he opened up a folder. “I don’t know everything about the situation he was in, I’m sure an officer will explain that to you later, but from what I understand, he should have been worse off than he is.”

 

“What do you mean?” Hiro questioned before his aunt had been able to voice it.

 

“Well, from my understanding, he was in the building that caught fire and explosion.” He stated more of a questioned.

 

The young Hamada nodded slowly.

 

The doctor hummed in thought. “But he’s only got a few second degree deep partial burns on his left arm and chest. And they’ve been very well taken care of before he even got here.” He read over the notes in the folder he had on his patient. “They should be completely healed in another few weeks, with minimal scaring, but we’ll have to keep an eye on how much mobility he has of that arm.”

 

Cass gave him a look. “Why mobility?”

 

“Some second degree burns can cause scaring over joints, contractures, which can shorten and harden muscles and make the joints rigid and lose mobility.” Dr. Stevens clarified. “To be honest, we’re more concerned on his mental well-being.” He continued. “He seems to be very sensitive to touch and loud noise and bright lights.” He read off the paper. “It seems like he was sensory deprived from whatever he went through.”

 

Cass’s hand went over her mouth as the doctor was talking. She couldn’t fathom why Callaghan, or anyone really, would be so horrible as to do this to anyone, let alone her nephew.

 

Hiro couldn’t think of anything aside from two thoughts; one, he hopes Tadashi is going to be okay after all of this; and two, Callaghan better go to jail for a very long time.

 

“We want to keep him here for a few days, so we can get some IVs in him and keep an eye on how he’s doing with everything. After that he can go home, we think it’d be a good idea to let him see a therapist, post-traumatic stress disorder is common with victims who’ve been in fires and kidnapping scenarios.” The doctor handed Cass a few pamphlets. “We’ll start him on physical therapy in a couple of days or so, before he can go home.”

 

Cass nodded as she glanced at the brochures in her hand.

 

“But, his vitals are fine, he was responding and talking with the paramedics and nurses when they brought him in; I have no doubt that he will make a full recovery.” He offered a small smile to the family sitting before him.

 

“May we see him?” She asked, tears sitting in her green eyes.

 

Dr. Stevens nodded and stood up. “Soft voices, and the lights are dimmed very low in his room, please keep them that way. And don’t open the curtain later on when the sun comes up. We gotta introduce these things gently.” He held the door open for the two Hamadas. “He’s in room 276. He was awake a little while ago before I came to talk to you two, so he may still be up.” He told them.

 

“Thank you Doctor.” Cass shook his hand once more before they headed straight for Tadashi’s room.

 

The two were quiet as they walked up the stairs to the third floor, Hiro walking a little slower behind his aunt.

 

“He’s going to be fine.” She stopped short of the stairwell door and faced Hiro.

 

He sighed. “I know.”

 

She smiled. “We’ll help him through this.” She gave him a hug.

 

He hugged her back. “I’m glad he’s alive.” He mumbled happily into her shoulder.

 

“Me too.” She pulled away and ruffled his hair. “Now, let’s go see him.”

 

(---)

 

Tadashi glanced over to the door when there was a soft knock on it before it opened. His aunt and brother walked in, much to his relief. The nurses were getting on his nerves with how much they came around to check on him.

 

“Hey.” His voice cracked a little when he spoke still. He sat up a little more on the bed, pushing himself up with his slightly burnt arm – he couldn’t bend the other one, IVs were in his elbow, he didn’t feel like having them being pulled out and put back in.

 

“Hey, baby.” Cass left Hiro’s side in favor of giving Tadashi a kiss on his forehead and a shoulder squeeze.

 

The elder male could plainly see that she was trying not to touch him. He _didn’t_ want _other_ people touching him, but he _wanted_ his _family_ to at least give him a hug, touch him, remind him that he indeed is _safe_ and not locked in that room anymore.

 

“How you feeling?” She spoke gently.

 

He chuckled. “I’ve been better. You know, you can hug me. I’m not going to break.”

 

She smiled. “Are you sure?”

 

He rolled his eyes and reached over for her. If she wasn’t going to hug, then he would. He didn’t let go for almost a full minute, and then he looked at Hiro. “I can’t get up at the moment, so you better get over here, knucklehead.”

 

He didn’t have to tell Hiro twice, who practically flew over to his older brother and hugged him. While the younger did refrain from squeezing too hard, he refused to let go when Tadashi tried to pull away, but ultimately unwrapped his arms form the elder’s neck.

 

Cass smiled as she looked at the two, a sight she thought she’d never get to see again.

 

Their family may be small, their family may be broken and chipped, but they could get through anything.

 

This was no exception.

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot begin to tell you how many times I rewrote this chapter, how many times I restarted, and how many drafts I had. 
> 
> Don't own.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Two**

 

The three Hamadas spent the rest of the night in the hospital, Hiro falling asleep at some point in the most uncomfortable chair that had ever been invented, and he’s sat in the chairs that Dr. Pat had in her waiting room. That left the older two Hamadas to talk quietly.

 

“How long has it been?” Tadashi’s barely used voice was still hoarse as he spoke.

 

Cass looked over at him from her spot right next to his bed. “About three months.” She noticed him tense up and a dark look pass his face, but they quickly faded from view.

 

“That’s a long time.” He muttered.

 

She nodded. “Yeah, yeah it is.” Her eyes flicked to Hiro on the other side of Tadashi, he was fast asleep.

 

“That looks uncomfortable.” The older male commented as he followed her gaze.

 

Cass chuckled. “But, you two are notorious for falling asleep at desks, so that _might_ be comfortable.” She remembered all the times she walked into their room to check on them before going to bed herself and finding one or both leaning over with their head on their arms, sleeping part way on the desk and part way on whatever project they were working on that night. Then after they converted the garage into a lab, she’d discover them sleeping on the desk down there as well, hence why there was a couch down there, in hopes they would use it and not hurt their backs too much.

 

“True.” He agreed.

 

“You should get some sleep too.” She suggested, and by the look the young man was receiving, it was _highly_ suggested.

 

He leaned back against the pillows behind his head and back and tried to shut his eyes. He was tired, he really was, but he was afraid that this was just another hallucination and when he wakes up, he’ll be back in that _Room_ , locked up and in the dark silence. Though, he was sure this wasn’t a dream, when they put the IVs in his arm, they hurt a little too much for this all to be in his mind, unless his mind suddenly got good at imagining pain.

 

“I don’t want to.” He quietly told her.

 

She leaned over and moved his hair out of his face. From that close, she could see the bags under his eyes, her heart broke a little more when the thought of him not sleeping, or being too afraid to sleep crossed her mind. “Well, I think you should.”

 

He sighed, defeated. “Promise not too leave?” He looked away from her eyes, not wanting to meet them.

 

She smiled sadly and softly. “Pinky swear. I’ll wake you up when I go to wake your brother for school.”

 

“Okay.” His voice was barely a whisper as he settled himself into a comfortable position.

 

It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep and leave his aunt alone with her thoughts. She couldn't help but keep looking at her oldest, noticing little things about him that were never there before, but thanks to everything, are now. How he didn’t really relax as he fell asleep, his shoulders and face muscles still tensed, how his hair a tad longer than it was three months ago – probably the longest it’s been in years. He was also a bit thinner than he was when she last saw him, although, as horrible as it was, wasn’t that hard to believe or imagine why.

 

Repeatedly, every few minutes, Cass would reach over and smooth his hair out whether that was to assure herself that he was here, or a subconscious way to let him know she was still sitting beside him, she wasn’t quite sure, maybe it was both. The only sound in the room was his heart monitor, rhythmically beeping, gave her some comfort and knowledge that _no this wasn’t a dream, Tadashi’s really here_. 

 

At one point, a nurse came in to check on him.

 

“Good morning.” The elderly lady greeted Cass with a warm smile.

 

“Good morning.” Cass tiredly returned.

 

“Just gotta take his blood pressure.” The nurse un-did the Velcro the blood pressure monitor and wrapped it around Tadashi’s non-burned arm, scaring the poor boy awake. ”Sorry, hun.” She apologized when she caught his eyes. “I’ll be done in a moment.”

 

He tensed when she tightened the sleeve.

 

“Relax your arm, hun. This’ll take longer if you don’t.” She kept her voice soft and gentle, partly trying to sooth the frazzled and traumatized young man in front of her, and partly because of the boy sleeping on the other side of his older brother.

 

Tadashi tried, he really did, but he could only relax so much. It helped him when Cass began smoothing his hair like she had done countless times when he was napping.

 

The BP monitor beeped when it got the reading.

 

“129 over 83.” The lady told them.

 

“Is that bad?” Cass asked from her seat.

 

“Its in the prehypertension range.” The nurse began. “It could a momentary elevated pressure given the circumstances and the fact that I did seem to startle him, can raise the blood pressure on anyone. We’ll keep an eye on it, and I’ll come back in about an hour and try again, maybe get him to relax a little more.” She wrote down the numbers on her clipboard before taking the sleeve off of the Hamada on the hospital bed. “I’m sorry I woke you, dear.” She apologized to the young man before slipping out of the room as quietly as she entered.

 

“Go back to sleep, Tadashi.” Cass soothingly told him when he didn’t attempt to.

 

“I don’t want to.” His voice cracked for the umpteenth time that night.

 

She hummed in an understanding tone. “But you have to. You look like you haven’t slept in ages.”

 

He shifted on the bed to sort of face her. “Haven’t.” He drowsily said.

 

A sad look passed on his aunt’s tired face.

 

“You look tired, too.” He pointed out.

 

She nodded. “But I’m worried about you.”

 

A small smile danced across his face. “I’m fine. You should sleep.” He looked around the room to find a clock. “The café opens in a few hours, you’re not going to be able to function.”

 

A quiet laugh escaped her. “The only place I’m going today is home to make sure he gets ready for school, then I’m coming right back here.” She pulled her legs up onto the chair she was nestled in, trying to get more comfortable. “The staff can handle a day without me there.”

 

“You _have_ taught them well.” He nodded along.

 

“That’s right. I have. Now, go to sleep.”

 

(---)

 

But he didn’t go back to sleep.

 

And Cass stopped pressing the issue after a while and resigned to going and getting him a newspaper to read, not wanting him to be bored in the quiet room.

 

He was still up when Cass had to wake Hiro.

 

The older male stopped reading a newspaper his aunt had gotten him when he said he didn’t want to sleep, and watched the two.

 

“Hiro,” She gently shook his shoulder. “Wake up, you have a test in two hours.”

 

Tadashi smirked when Hiro promptly mumbled out a protest and attempted to roll over, only to fall out of the chair.

 

“Can’t I skip it?” The fourteen year old asked sleepily from the floor, rubbing his eyes.

 

Cass shook her head. “You just have the one class today, you can go and come back.” She grabbed her purse and turned to her eldest. “I’ll be back in a little while, and you better be asleep.” She jokingly scolded.

 

“Yes ma’am.” Tadashi nodded. “Tell everyone I said ‘hi’.” He went back to reading his paper.

 

Hiro stumbled towards the door. “Do you want me to tell them?”

 

Tadashi shrugged.

 

“‘Stop that’.” Hiro snickered.

 

Dark brown eyes rolled. “Yeah, tell ‘em.”

 

“Will do.” Hiro started walking out, only to sideswipe the door.

 

Cass laughed. “And that is why I’m driving you home.” She put her hands on his shoulders and steered him out of the room. “You’d end up walking into someone else’s house on the other side of town.”

 

Their voices faded down the hallway, leaving Tadashi alone once more. He hadn’t wanted them to leave; he’d been alone with his own mind for far too long. But they did have lives to live, and he _knew_ that they wouldn’t drop everything just to sit next to him in a quiet room.

 

(---)

 

Hiro bounced into the lab after his test, bursting at the seams with excitement.

 

“Hey little man.” Wasabi greeted, a smile on his face when he saw how happy the teen was.

 

“Is everyone here?” Hiro asked after waving to the taller male.

 

“Fred’s running a few minutes late.” Honey piped up from her lab space. “Why?”

 

The Hamada jumped in place. “Oh my gosh, do I news for you guys. But everyone has to be here. Because I can’t repeat this story twice, I’ll flip out and you won't understand me.”

 

Gogo walked over. “You’re practically vibrating.” She observed.

 

He nodded quickly, watching the door waiting for their friend to walk in.

 

“A watched pot never boils, Hiro.” Wasabi called from the back of the room, pulling a cart of tools with him, he carefully avoided going to fast so he didn’t mess up everything he just organized.

 

The gang all looked at the young boy, happy to see he was finally moving on from the events. They hadn’t seen a real smile on his face since before the fire.

 

Gogo leaned against the wall by the door. “So how big is this news you have?”

 

He beamed. “Life changing.”

 

She nodded and looked away from him to Honey, who just shrugged her shoulders.

 

“Can you give us a hint?” The taller girl questioned as she pulled her goggles over her eyes so she could work on a compound.

 

The younger student finally looked away from the door to raise an eyebrow. “I don’t even know how to even begin hinting at this.”

 

Just like Wasabi said ‘a watched pot never boils’, the second Hiro turned from the lab entryway, Fred walked in.

 

“Hello my fellow people.” He greeted as the door swung closed behind him.

 

“What’s this news?” Honey suddenly yelped. She couldn’t wait to hear what had the boy all bouncy and bubbly.

 

“What news?” The newly arrived male asked as he made his way to his friends.

 

“Hiro has ‘life changing’ news.” The shorter girl air quoted, her voice as stoic as ever.

 

“Do you want me to explain it first? Or just tell you the news _then_ explain?” Brown eyes wondered, he didn’t know how to exactly break the news to them.

 

“Explain first, I like a good story.” The blonde male hopped up onto one of the tables that were in Honey’s space, the only one free of anything on its surface.

 

The small teen nodded. “Okay, so Aunt Cass got a phone call last night, well two technically. And she was flipping out and woke me up, confused me on how she was acting and what not. She was smiling and jumping around, but crying at the same time. Anyway, she told me she had just gotten off the phone with a police officer.” He started the tale, leaving no details out.

 

“You’re brother’s alive?!” All four practically shouted to Hiro at the same time.

 

Hiro started bouncing in place again. “Yeah!”

 

The group shared a look with each other, all thinking that the poor boy won’t move on from his older brother’s death, that he’s finally hit denial; that he’s going through the five stages backwards and out of order.

 

Hiro watched their expressions, and silent conversation. “You don’t believe me? Do you?” He sounded a little offended and hurt. He knew he probably sounded crazy, it had been over three months since the fire and a little under two since Callaghan’s arrest.

 

Nobody corrected him.

 

Brown eyes rolled as he texted his aunt; maybe she could help prove that Tadashi was alive.

 

“What are you doing?” Gogo asked, concerned. She was afraid that he was going to fall down another dark path, one that they wouldn’t be able to pull him from, one that his therapist wouldn’t be able to help straighten.

 

“Texting Aunt Cass.” He muttered as his fingers tapped the onscreen buttons of his phone, asking her to help him prove it.

 

He praised the fact that raising two technology geniuses helped her get tech savvy, not even two minutes later he had a picture response of her and Tadashi, who was holding up the day’s paper.

 

“Ah ha!” He jumped and held his phone for everyone to see. “Note today’s paper!”

 

Four mouths dropped as they stared at the picture.

 

Their best friend _was_ alive.

 

“I didn’t believe Aunt Cass either when she woke me up last night.” The young student casually conversed with the shell-shocked group.

 

“How is he?” Honey asked before anyone else had the chance to.

 

“Well, he’s in one piece.” He began. “He’s got a few second degree burns on his arm, he’s gonna start physical therapy soon. But he’s sensitive to loud sounds and bright lights and he’s a little touch shy.”

 

“That’s it? He went running into a burning building.” Wasabi stated.

 

“Surprised us too.” Hiro agreed.

 

“When is he up for visitors?” Gogo popped her gum, trying her damn hardest to hide the emotions she was suddenly feeling, the overwhelming joy and relief leaked out into her facial expression, though.

 

“I’ll have to ask him.” The young Hamada told them. “Well, I gotta run guys, I have a few things I gotta go do.” And with that, he scurried over to his lab, leaving his friends to jump around the dangerous chemicals and tools by themselves.

 

“We should send him a picture!” Fred voiced after a minute.

 

Honey nodded in agreement. “A video might be to loud.”

 

“Especially when we’re all trying to not explode of excitement and happiness.” The comic enthusiast added.

 

 

 (---)

 

Cass walked back into Tadashi’s hospital room as the nurse from earlier was attempting to take his blood pressure again.

 

“More relaxed this time.” The elderly lady smiled at him.

 

“Just startled me earlier.” Tadashi answered, neither noticing Cass for a moment.

 

The monitor beeped.

 

“118 over 78. That’s better.” The lady smiled as she un-did the sleeve. She noticed Cass standing there. “Hello.”

 

“Hi.” The younger woman walked back over to the chair she had been sitting in before. “Better this time?”

 

“Yep. Normal blood pressure.” The nurse dressed in pink scrubs told her.

 

“That’s good.” Cass sat her bag down on the chair.

 

“Well, if you need anything, just hit the call button.” The nurse turned to walk out.

 

“Thank you, Miss Flora.” Tadashi called.

 

Nurse Flora laughed as she walked out.

 

He looked to his aunt, who had an unreadable expression on her face. “Aunt Cass?”

 

She blinked and motioned to her bag. “I brought your computer and some of your magazine we still had received,” Her breath noticeably hitched. “Over the few months.”

 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, his heart rate picked up, and was broadcasted to the world.

 

“Nothing!” She yelped. “I just, uh, I just talked to one of the police officers before I came here. Sorry it took so long.” She tried to change the subject.

 

The female officer, Officer Sato, the one who initially found and approached him, caught up with her before she left for the hospital after making sure Hiro was awake enough to make it to SFIT without walking into the wrong school. The officer told her all about where they found the older Hamada male, and how broken he looked at the time.

 

“Oh.” He went quiet and looked down. “I’m sorry.” He mumbled. He was sorry. He was sorry that he tried to play hero and run into a burning building, he was sorry that everyone thought he was dead, he was sorry that he couldn’t get in contact with the when he was in _The Room_.

 

Cass sat on the edge of his head. “You don’t have to be sorry, there’s no need for it.” She gently told him.

 

“But I am.” He looked back up at her. “I shouldn’t have done that. I didn’t even think about what I was doing.”

 

“You were trying to do something you felt was right.” She leaned and bent down a little to keep eye contact with him when he looked downward, away from her eyes. “You don’t need to feel sorry for doing that. No one knew _that_ would happen.” She tried not to spit the word, but had anyways. She pulled him into a gentle hug when he started crying.

 

And what was left of her heart shattered.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little by little, we will get to know all that Tadashi went through. Just letting you know that, I've gotten a few messages and what not about when we get that information. 
> 
>  
> 
> Grammar is like a fairy! It's only there if you believe.
> 
> Don't own.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Three**

Cass’s phone beeped after a while of the two sitting there in the silence, Tadashi fiddling with his computer, and Cass flipping through a magazine she brought. She pulled her phone out of her purse and chuckled.

 

“What’s so funny?” Tadashi asked as he raised an eyebrow at his aunt.

 

“It seems your friends are concerned for Hiro’s mental well being.” She laughed. “’No one believes me, and they’re all looking at each other like they know I’m crazy’.”

 

“Well he is.” Tadashi joked. “Picture?”

 

“Picture.” She nodded in agreement. She sat next to him on his bed, pulling the newspaper with her. “Just in case, better show the date.” They quickly posed and snapped the picture and sent it along its way.

 

He put the newspaper off to the side. “So they all get along pretty well?” He had always wanted Hiro to meet his friends, and had hoped that they’d all get along. Of course, he had hoped he would have been there to see the budding friendships and that they’d all bond and hang out together. But, just because he missed the beginning, didn’t mean he had to miss the rest.

 

Cass smiled. “Yeah. They’ve been coming to game night for the past month. Wasabi whips our butts in Monopoly.”

 

“Ah, you let him play that game?” Tadashi groaned he knew how the slightly older male could get when you let him play the Parker Brothers’ game. Aside from always making sure that his stacks of the fake money were always straight, neat, and orderly, he was the best when it came to the actually strategy portion of the game; knowing when it was the perfect time to buy the space he landed on, when to rent or when to pass.

 

“Lesson learned.” She sheepishly admitted.

 

Tadashi laughed, actually laughed. “I remember the first time he suggested we play that, we were taking a break from exam studying; found it kinda odd that he just has that in his lab space, but I don’t question it now.”

 

Cass shook her head. “On a subject change, is it okay if I don’t stay tonight?” She questioned as she sat back in her chair. “Hiro will be here, probably won’t leave your side.”

 

He nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine. Big shipment in the morning?”

“Yep.” She sighed, obviously not happy about it.

 

(---)

 

There was a knock on the door as it opened.

 

“Hello.” Hiro walked in, letting his book bag slide down his shoulders as he slung it across the floor so it would reach his seat before he would.

 

“How was your test?” Cass smiled as Hiro bent over to kiss her cheek in greeting.

 

“Long, boring, simple.” He shrugged.

 

“What class was it for?” Tadashi questioned as his little brother sat on the edge of his bed, in between him and his aunt, but facing them.

 

“Robot Kinematics and Dynamics.” The young student answered.

 

“Hated that class.” The elder muttered.

 

(---)

 

_It burnt. His arm was burning. And it took him a long moment to realize why. His mind was getting hazy from all the smoke he had inhaled within the handful of steps he had taken into the building, making his judgment and thoughts slow, his movements were just as, even when he tried to turn around and run back out._

_He would have made it out, if it weren’t for a piece of the ceiling falling, blocking his exit. His heart sped up as he realized there was no other way out, except to attempt to run through the fire, and get to a side door. He glanced around; mapping the safest route out, forgetting his sole purpose of running into the building was to get his professor out._

_What was he thinking? Callaghan was a very wise and able man he could get himself out. Besides, the showcase was just one giant room; he’d have made it out by now!_

_He took off running where he had mentally mapped; jumping over small patches of burning furniture and robot projects. He had to propel himself backwards when a support beam fell from above, nearly landing on him, but managing to scrape his left side._

_He hissed in pain as he tripped over a partially melted chair. As he was tumbling backwards, he saw his professor, standing but a few feet away._

_They both saw each other at the same time._

_Brown eyes were hopeful, yet frightened. Blue eyes were burning with rage hotter than the fire around them._

_“You made a mistake, Tadashi.” Was all the teacher said as he put on Tadashi’s little brother’s neurotransmitter, and commanded the Microbots to shield himself from the fire._

Focus Hamada! _He scolded himself as he pushed himself back to his feet and tried to run for the side door that was a few years away, just behind Callaghan. He sprinted through flame as he reached out for the no doubt scorching hot metal of the handle._

_But he never made it out._

_Something wrapped around his ankle just as his fingers brushed up against the push bar, pulling his leg out from under him._

_And his final thought before he blacked out was that his professor was keeping him from getting out of a burning building all because he witnessed the older man trying to use the invention his little brother, his genius little brother, the same little brother Tadashi just pulled himself from to save someone who needed more saving than Tadashi could offer, had made._

_Suddenly, he was being thrown into_ The Room _, Callaghan slamming the door behind him._

_“Let me out!” Tadashi rammed himself against the door as hard as he could, with his good side._

“‘Dashi.”

_“You’ve seen too much, Mister Hamada.” Callaghan spoke from the other side of the door. “When I’m done with every I have planned, I may let you leave.”_

_“What?” Tadashi will deny that he ever shrieked. “What is that supposed to mean? Technically I didn’t see you do anything. Up until you drug me away from the door, I was just thinking that you were trying to protect yourself!”_

_“If you don't shut up, your chances of leaving dwindle.” The former professor snapped._

“Tadashi.”

_That shut Tadashi up right quick as fear started to sink in. This wasn’t a twisted joke of any kind. This was real. The danger he was in, was real. The dangers others could possibly be in, was real._

_This was all real._

**“** Tadashi!”

 

He jolted awake and came face to face with Hiro. Tadashi took one look at his precious baby brother’s face, and for a second, all the elder could see was the hurt and desperate look in the younger’s expression as he ran into the burning showcase.

 

Before Hiro could even blink, he was being pulled into a one-armed hug, a very tight and frantic one-armed hug.

 

“I’m sorry!” Tadashi practically cried into Hiro’s shoulder.

 

The young Hamada was stunned for a moment, before he returned the hug, albeit more gentle than his older brother. “Shh. It’s fine, ‘Dashi.” He tried too sooth the frazzled and broken young man.

 

Tadashi didn’t say anything, but shook his head.

 

“Shh.” Hiro continued, running his hand through his brother’s hair in a calming motion.

 

“I’m so sorry.” The oldest Hamada male whimpered. He pulled away slightly to rest his forehead against Hiro’s. “I’m so, so sorry.” Tears continued to fall from his brown eyes as he looked into his brother’s. “I shouldn’t have left you. Hiro, I’m so sorry.”

 

A pained expression crossed Hiro’s face. “Just don’t do it again.” He mumbled.

 

“I promise, I won’t.” Tadashi sniffled, looking away from Hiro’s eyes, still being haunted with that betrayed and hurt look from that night; had been haunted by them _every_ night. Every time Tadashi closed his eyes, he’d see Hiro’s. That look his brother gave him will probably follow him until the day he dies. And he would do anything to either go back and keep that look from forming on Hiro’s face, or do anything to keep that look from reappearing. “But I’m so sorry.” He kept repeating, over and over, like a broken record.

 

Hiro never told him to stop apologizing. If iterating the phrase made his brother feel better after the whole situation, and after that no doubt, horrible, horrible nightmare, who was Hiro to stand in the way of that?

 

He was just glad his older brother was back, in one piece and not quite all there, but he was back, physically.

 

If Hiro was being honest with himself, when the doctor had said they were worried about Tadashi’s mental well being, he was afraid that Tadashi wouldn’t even be remotely like he was before. While Hiro didn’t know what exactly went on when he was with Callaghan, and a part of him actually _didn’t_ want to know, being sensory deprived was never, ever a good thing; being sensitive to everything, being touch shy, Hiro was afraid they’d just be getting back a shell of his older brother.

 

But the hugs, albeit more frantic in nature, were the same; they held the same warmth and love as they did before. His voice, while a little hoarse at first, was still the same; he looked generally the same as he did. Hell, he even acted like he normally did, for the most part.

 

Hiro ended up staying on the bed with him for while, laying on Tadashi’s left side, so he didn’t accidently knock out an IV. He was afraid he’d accidently hurt his brother’s arm, or accidently hit him in the chest or something where he was burned.

 

He was glad the elder was able to fall back asleep, of course, the sleep medicine the nurse made him take, _might_ have had something to do with it. Tadashi looked like he needed the sleep, and not the naps he had the night before and throughout the day when Hiro was at SFIT, but an actual, eight hour or more rest; get rid of the bag beneath his dark, stress-dull brown eyes.

 

The fourteen year old couldn’t help but keep looking at his older brother.

 

Ever since he could remember, Tadashi had never once shown a sad emotion around him. Hardly showed any negative emotion, aside from the rare argument the two brothers would get into growing up. Hiro almost believed his brother was practically incapable of having such emotions.

 

“I didn't mean to wake you up.” The older of the two eventually muttered.

 

Hiro jumped. “Holy geez! I thought you were asleep. Don’t scare me like that!”

 

Tadashi turned a little so he was facing his brother. “Sorry.”

 

The younger waved it off. “You didn’t wake me up.”

 

The first Hamada boy raised an eyebrow. “Then what were you doing up at this time of night?

 

 _Oh yeah, Tadashi’s still in there._ Hiro thought as he rolled his eyes. “I couldn’t sleep.” Which was a lie, he was just afraid that this was all a dream, a dream he didn’t mind if he never woke up from.

 

“Well, you should try.” Warm, dark brown eyes softened as they looked at slightly lighter brown eyes.

 

The smaller boy nodded and went to get off the bed, but a hand grabbed his wrist.

 

“Stay up here?” His older brother asked in such a quiet, timid voice; Hiro didn't know he could sound like that.

 

But he stayed on the bed, lying right back where he had when he _thought_ Tadashi was asleep.


	4. Chapter Four

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Four**

 

Hiro bounced into the waiting room of Revelations Counseling.

 

“Hello, Hiro.” Dr. Patricia walked in just as the door swung closed behind him.

 

“Hi, Dr. P!” He smiled.

 

“You seem to be in a good mood today.” She commented as they walked down the hall to her office.

 

“I’m in the best mood, probably that I’ve ever been in.” He told her, he took a seat in the middle of the couch, getting himself comfortable for the hour.

 

“That’s good. What’s gotten you all cheery?” She asked as she took her usual chair.

 

Hiro chuckled to himself, imagining her reaction and what she could say to when he tells her that Tadashi’s alive. “I’m not crazy, I’ve got witness to this whole thing.” He starts out.

 

Dr. Pat raises and eyebrow, amused at the start. “Oh?”

 

“So, the other night, my aunt wakes me up, more like yells my name and scares me awake with my first thought being along the lines of something’s wrong or someone’s broken in.” He began the story. “But! That wasn’t the case. It took her almost ten minutes to calm down enough to tell me that earlier that evening she had gotten a call from the police, and that once she knew for sure, she’d tell me about it. And right before she woke me up, she had gotten another phone call confirming what they had thought earlier.” He paused and looked at his therapist, who was practically hanging off the edge of her seat, curiosity and anticipation shone in her blue eyes. “Callaghan confessed to starting the fire, stealing my Microbots, attempting to hurt Krei, and.” He smiled bigger, gapped teeth showing. “Tadashi’s alive.”

 

Dr. Pat sat back in her chair, a look of believing on her face. “How is he?”

 

Hiro sat back himself; surprised she didn’t question his sanity like his friends did. “He’s in one piece, his arm’s sort of burned – almost healed though. So much so, that his doctor is more worried about his mental health.”

 

Dr. Pat nodded, connecting the dots quickly enough where she knew where that doctor’s concern was going. “We have a few PTSD councilors here if he needs them.” She told the young patient.

 

“Really?” He asked.

 

She nodded. “Yeah. They’d be more than happy to help him.”

 

The fourteen year old smiled. “I’ll let him know.”

 

 

 (---)

 

_“Just be careful.”_ Hiro had told the group when they asked when they could visit Tadashi. _“And don’t be too loud or mess with the lights.”_

So, they decided two at a time. Gogo and Fred visited first, seeing as they didn’t have classes until the afternoon.

 

“Hey.” Gogo greeted with a smile as Fred opened the hospital room door.

 

Tadashi smiled. “Hey guys.” He flipped a magazine he was reading closed as the two walked further into the room, the door swinging shut softly behind them. He didn’t know why, but he felt a little anxious about having people other than his brother or aunt in the room alone with him.

 

“How you feeling, my man?” Fred asked his trade marked laid-back smile seemed a little forced as he took a seat next to the bed. Gogo just hopped right up and sat on the edge.

 

Tadashi shrugged. “I’ve seen better days.” He tried to keep himself calm, how embarrassing would it be for him to have a freak out in front of his friends? With the heart monitor right next to him, announcing it in the machine’s annoying beeping?

 

“When do you get to go home?” Gogo asked as she popped her gum.

 

“Not quite sure.” The younger male in the room said. “In a few days is all I know. But I have to start physical therapy first.”

 

“Really?” The blond male raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

 

Tadashi motioned to his wrapped arm. “Can’t really move my shoulder or my wrist.”  Whenever he tried to move them, it felt as if they were trying to move through mud, they’d move, and it wouldn’t hurt, but it was like there was this force working against him when he tried to use them.

 

 

They fell into a silence for a moment, borderline awkward. No one knew how to continue the conversation. They didn’t want to bring up the fire, or Callaghan, and the two visitors wouldn’t dare bring up their superheroing pastimes; not knowing if Hiro told him yet, or was even going to tell the older Hamada, they didn’t want to be the ones to break the news to Tadashi, then leave poor Hiro to face his lecturing.

 

Tadashi cleared his throat, not wanting it to crack again. “Thank you for watching out for Hiro.” He looked over at his two friends.

 

“Anytime, man.” Fred waved it off. “He’s like the little brother I always wanted.”

 

That caused the Hamada to chuckle. “Well then the next time he does something illegal, you can lecture him. But be careful, he might get you in jail.”

 

Gogo snorted. “Personal experience?”

 

“Unfortunately.” Tadashi sighed.

 

“No way!” Fred laughed.” Dude, you have a record?”

 

That night flashed in Tadashi’s mind being handcuffed and thrown into a cell with the other botfighters that looked like they could just look at Tadashi sideways and manage to snap him like a twig. “I wouldn’t call it a record, we weren’t booked, just held.”

 

The female snapped her gum before she spoke. “But, you’re in the system.”

 

“Took me three days to get that ink off my hands!”

 

Fred cracked up in his seat, trying to imagine Tadashi being fingerprinted while in handcuffs at the police station. Gogo snickered into her hand. She’s been there, done that, wasn’t that big of a deal; but she imagined Tadashi and Hiro, the latter being glared at from the former, sitting in the back of a cruiser heading towards the station. 

 

Tadashi rolled his eyes as he waited for his friends’ laughter to die down. “Any moment, you can stop laughing.”

 

“No, I don’t think we will.” She ignored the annoyed sigh coming from the young adult on the bed. 

 

(---)

 

Honey Lemon and Wasabi stopped by about an hour after Fred and Gogo left.

 

“Hey.” They both greeted as the closed the hospital door.

 

Tadashi looked up from his computer and smiled, a little more natural than he had earlier, feeling a little more relaxed. “Hey.”

The conversation went just as it had earlier, asking how he was, how his arm was doing, then it fell into a silence, and Tadashi thanked them as well for watching out for Hiro.

 

The patient looked over to the other male in the room. “So, I heard you guys played Monopoly.”

 

Wasabi chuckled and nodded.

 

“Wait,” Honey began as she turned where she sat, on the bed where Gogo had. “You knew he was scary good at that game?”

 

Tadashi nodded. “Yep.”

 

“And you never warned us?”

 

“Why ‘warn’?” Wasabi butted in. “Why are you saying warn? So you’d think you could win instead of me kicking your guys’ butts at that game?”

 

“Really, it should have been common knowledge.” The male in between the two shrugged. “He likes everything to be neat, likes everything to be planned and a strategy written out.” He motioned with his IVed arm. “You’ve seen him come exam time.”

 

Honey thought. “True. Should have seen it.” She laughed. “Any other games you could win without really trying?”

 

Wasabi smiled. “Now, what would be the fun in telling you that?”

 

She looked to Tadashi, silently asking for him to tell her.

 

“I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

 

She waved her hands in the air. “I will find out eventually.”

 

“The hard way.” Both young men said in unplanned unison.

 

“I learned the hard way, every one else can too.” The Hamada male told her.

 

Honey crossed her arms, defeated. “Fine.”

 

The bigger built man leaned back in the chair. “It’ll be a fun defeat, I promise.”

 

 

(---)

 

“Hello, Tadashi.” Dr. Stevens greeted as he walked in.

 

“Hi, Doctor.” The young male had been messaging his aunt all day, to help alleviate the apprehensiveness of being alone again, he quickly typed that the doctor was there and promptly shut his computer.

 

“How is your arm this afternoon?” The doctor asked as he picked up Tadashi’s chart from the door before he let the entryway close. “Any pain, tenderness, limited mobility?”

 

“Yes, actually.” Tadashi nodded. “Both my shoulder and my wrist are still to move. They don’t hurt or anything, though.”

 

Dr. Stevens wrote that down on the side of the paper. “Alright, so I actually came up here to talk to you about physical therapy.”

 

The younger male didn’t say anything, but nodded.

 

“We wanted to get you started today, if that’s alright with you.”

 

“Yeah, I need my left hand.” The twenty-one year old commented.

 

“Left handed?”

 

“Yep.”

 

The doctor chuckled. “Alright, well we’ll start you in PT today, and get your mobility back. Dr. Ito should be in here in about an hour, and she’ll get you started.” He started making his way back out of the room.

 

“Thank you, doctor.” Tadashi smiled.

 

(---)

 

Cass arrived at the hospital shortly before her eldest got back from physical therapy, and made herself comfortable in a chair.

 

“Hi Aunt Cass.” Tadashi greeted as he and his physical therapist walked into the room, the former trying to keep his pants from falling down.

 

“Having issues there?” Cass laughed at how he was trying to hold the pants up, and the back of the hospital shirt closed with the same hand.

 

The therapist laughed as she scooted the IV cart into place as he climbed back into the hospital bed.

 

“Only a few. I feel bad for everyone in the hallway downstairs.” He muttered, still red in the face from the fact that his pants fell halfway down his legs.

 

His aunt laughed even harder, as did the therapist.

 

“There weren’t too many people in the hall, dear.” His PT told him.

 

“Only every cute nurse in the building.” He covered his face with his right hand. “I’m mortified!”

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon, Mr. Hamada.” The hospital’s physical therapist waved as she walked out.

 

He let out a frustrated noise akin to a growl into his hand. “I’m going to curl up into a ball now.”

 

“Why?” A new, but familiar voice asked.

 

Cass let out a giggle. “Your brother’s pants fell down in the hall in front of ‘every cute nurse in the building’.” She air quoted.

 

Hiro laughed in the doorway to the room. “Way to go bro.”

 

Tadashi reached behind him with his good arm, grabbed a pillow and promptly shoved it in his face, letting the fabric muffle his embarrass cry.

 

“Oh, chill out dude, maybe one of them thought you looked good.” The youngest Hamada earned himself a face full of pillow from across the room. “Good aim. Next time I wall the hall, I’ll make sure to mention that.”

 

Tadashi glared. “I would kill you, but they have resuscitating equipment around every corner.”

 

The younger dramatically slapped his hand to his chest. “Your words wound me, brother.” He walked across the room to the chair he seemed to have claimed as his own.

 

“You will grow to live with them.” Tadashi told him. “ _If_ you grow at all, little shorty.”

 

The pillow was back in the elder’s face.

 

“Boys be careful.” Cass warned as she watched the pillow barely fly past the IV cart. She shook her head at the banter, once again thinking how thankful she is that she can hear it once more.

 


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? What's this?   
> Two updates in a day.  
> What's this?   
> There's drama on the way.
> 
> Don't Own BH6.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Five**

 

The nurse got Hiro a different chair to sleep in when the fourteen year old declared that he was staying the night again.

 

“So,” Tadashi began once everyone left them alone, Hiro climbing onto the bed again. “How is SFIT treating you?”

 

Hiro sighed. “It’s okay, it’d be better if you were there.” He leaned back against the bed. “But, I’ve already decided on a project, and have started the basic design of it.” He wrung his hands together, kind of nervous to tell his older brother just what the project is.

 

“So I guess I have to ask you,” Tadashi began when Hiro didn’t continue. “What’s this project you’ve already picked out?”

 

The younger looked away, not wanting to see his reaction. “Well, you kinda inspired it.” He muttered quietly.

 

An eyebrow rose. “I did?” How so?”

 

Hiro was silent for a moment. “The firefighters refused to go into the building to look for you after you ran in, because it was too hot and dangerous.” He explained. “So I’m designing a suit that can withstand intense heat for longer periods of time, they can also be a protectant in the case of something falling on them. And, they have little oxygen tanks in them, that much like how a fish’s gills takes the oxygen out of water, can separate the chemicals and oxygen so they won’t suffocate.”

 

Tadashi smiled, albeit it was a little sad that a horrible, life-changing event had to happen in order for Hiro to come up with the idea, but he was proud nonetheless. “That’s a really good idea, little bro.” He reached over with his right arm, to pull Hiro into a slightly awkward hug. “I’m still really sorry I did that, though.” He added quietly.

 

Hiro didn’t say anything, instead choosing to enjoy the awkward positioned hug.

 

(---)

 

“So,” Tadashi began after about an hour of silence, just the two brothers enjoying the company of each other while they did their own things on their computers.

 

Hiro had noted after a few minutes, that Tadashi’s computer’s brightness was significantly dimmer than it ever had been. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what Tadashi had been through, what Callaghan had made him do during all that time.

 

“What all have I missed?” Tadashi finished, looking over at his brother for a moment before going back to his screen.

 

Hiro froze. What had Tadashi missed? A lot. A lot that Hiro isn’t sure Tadashi actually would want to know. He flipped out about bot fighting, which really is nothing dangerous compared to flying around on Baymax’s back, who knows how many feet off the ground, touching the clouds, helping with some of the more dangerous situations. Bot fighting was a petting zoo compared to what he’s done in the past few months.

 

“Hiro?” Tadashi poked his brother’s cheek.

 

“What?” Brown eyes glanced over to the elder.

 

Tadashi raised a thick eyebrow. “You spaced out for a while. Wanted to make sure you were still in there.”

 

“Oh, yeah.” The younger Hamada gave a nervous laugh.

 

“Hiro?” His name was a question said in a slight warning tone.

 

“Well,” the fourteen year old hesitated. “Things have happened. Big things. Things you’ll probably frown upon.”

 

A questioning expression crossed Tadashi’s facial features. “You aren’t botfighting again, are you?”

 

“No.” Hiro turned toward him, but looked down to his keyboard. “But you might wish I was.” He mumbled almost inaudibly.

 

“What was that?” The twenty one year old leaned closer to his younger brother. “Repeat?”

 

Hiro looked up. “Promise not to freak out? Because if you freak out the monitor will let everyone know and a doctor’s gonna come running in here, and tell you to calm down.”

 

Tadashi let out an amused, but nervous chuckle. “This ought to be good if you’re rambling.” He closed his computer to give all his attention to his brother.

 

“It’s a long story.” The younger continued. “And promise not to say anything until I tell it _all_. And it’s long, like, they could probably make a movie of everything.”

 

“Pinky promise.”

 

Hiro hesitated for a second. “Okay, so, it was a few weeks after the fire I accidently activated Baymax, and found one of the Microbots in the pocket of the hoodie and I said something and ended up having to chase Baymax across San Fransokyo and broke into this old warehouse on the docks.” He paused to take a breath, trying to get the entire story out in the least amount of breath as possible. “Ended up finding out someone, later to be unmasked as Callaghan, was remaking the Microbots,” he continued on, missing the fact that Tadashi had tensed up at the mention of his former professor.

 

“And after we fell out of the window, I tried to go to the police, but the guy wasn’t the most helpful person in the world. Very hilarious by the way, to make Baymax act like a drunk when his battery’s low.” Hiro continued, not knowing that he completely lost Tadashi, who was sitting through flashbacks.

 

_“Let me out!” Tadashi slammed his fist against the door. He knew Callaghan was out there, he could hear the insane man doing something just outside the door. “Callaghan, this isn’t funny. Now. Let. Me. Out!”_

_There was a click, then the door swung open. And for a moment, a small ray of hope shined in his mind, thinking maybe, he would be let out. But it quickly died when Callaghan stood there, just a few inches taller than Tadashi, glaring at him._

_Before the student knew it, a hand was wrapped around his throat, and was pinned to a wall._

_“If you don’t shut up, you won’t be leaving at all.” The older man growled, tightening his hold on his former student._

_Tadashi struggled to pull the man’s hand off his neck, desperately needing oxygen. When he couldn’t pry the hand away, he decided to kick out, hoping to knock the grown man off of him. It took a few kicks, but he was finally able to hit something that should never be hit. Immediately, both former professor and student dropped to the floor – one trying to catch his breath, and the other one trying to breathe through pain._

_“Don’t. Touch. Me.” Tadashi rasped out, fire burning in his brown eyed glare._

Tadashi shook himself out of his mind, trying to anchor himself into the present by listening to his brother’s voice, still telling this ‘long story’.

 

“This is the part where you can’t freak out.” Hiro commented. “I convinced them all to help me, and made us into super heroes.”

 

“Super heroes?” Tadashi’s voice rasped just like it had when Callaghan choked him.

 

Hiro looked over at him, giving him a concerned look. “Yeah.” He said slowly.

 

“I bet Fred loved that.” The elder tried so hard to joke, lighten his mood and not worry his brother.

 

“He wanted to call us ‘Fred’s Angels’.” He turned to face the twenty one year old. “Wanna talk about it?” He knows the beginning of a panic attack when he sees one.

 

And he sees one.

 

But Tadashi shook his head. “No, no, keep going with your story.” He waved his little brother’s concern off.

 

“But I’m here if you want to.” The younger gave a small smile.

 

A nod of his brother’s head is all Hiro got on the subject. “Continue.”

 

Hiro hesitated before he dove back into the story. “And we had ended up on Akuma Island.”

 

Tadashi tensed again. His little brother had been on the island?

 

“And we got into a fight with Callaghan, of course, we didn’t know it was him for half the fight-” Hiro rambled on.

 

His little brother had been on the island, had gotten into a fight with Callaghan, had unmasked Callaghan, and figured out it was the professor. They had been so close to him, and he didn’t even know it, _they_ didn’t even know it.

 

“No one was hurt, right?” The elder forced out, cutting his brother off.

 

Hiro shook his head. “But, I almost did something bad – well, I did do something bad.” He paused long enough for his brother to nudge him with his elbow.

 

“What’d you do?” His voice was soft and concerned.

 

“Um,” Lighter brown eyes looked away from darker ones, not wanting to see his brother’s face. He took a breath. “I kinda added two chips to Baymax, one where he knew Karate moves – to help fight if something were to have came up; and one that would, um, not make him very health companion-like.” He trailed off.

 

When Tadashi didn’t say anything, Hiro looked up and was greeted by a disappointed look.

 

“What did you do?” Tadashi repeated slowly, not sounding mad, just hurt that Hiro used his creation to do not so helpful things.

 

Hiro couldn’t look away, he tried, but his eyes wouldn’t glance from his brother’s. “I, uh, ordered Baymax to ‘destroy’ Callaghan.” He mumbled, this time not missing the way the other tensed at the name whether it was because of the mention or the fact that Hiro could have seriously hurt someone.

 

Tadashi sighed, but stayed silent.

 

“But no one was hurt!” Hiro defended. “Everyone kept throwing Baymax’s aim off, and Honey got the healthcare chip back in!”

 

“You actually took the chip out?” The hurt in his older brother’s voice hit him in his chest.

 

A small nod. “I’m sorry, ‘Dashi! I wasn’t thinking right, and I was mad!”

 

“Why were you mad?” The older Hamada softly asked. He couldn’t be upset with his brother now; it happened months ago, it happened in the past. They both had done something stupid.

 

Hiro tried to keep his eyes from tearing up; he didn’t want to feel those emotions again. “When we thought that you- I asked Callaghan why he just- why he didn’t help you,” He stuttered, not sure how to word things correctly. “He said it was _your_ mistake.”

 

_You made a mistake, Tadashi._

 

“I couldn’t just let him get away with saying that about you!” Hiro suddenly cried.

 

Tadashi managed to move his bad arm to hug his brother closer. “Shh.” He leaned his head on Hiro’s. “Shh.”

 

The younger brother buried his face in the crook of the older’s neck. “I’m sorry.” He sniffled. “I wasn’t thinking.”

 

The elder nodded. “I know, it’s okay, nothing happened.” Tadashi kissed the top of Hiro’s head.

 

“I almost turned out like him though.” Hiro mumbled oh-so-quietly, Tadashi had to strain to hear him.

 

He hummed in question.

 

The littler of the two pulled away slightly. “He was mad about his daughter, and I was mad about you, and he hurt people to try to get what he wanted. I almost did that!”

 

“Hey, hey.” The twenty one year old gently cooed. “But you didn’t, you had friends to pull you back.” He leant over a little to be able to look his brother in the eyes. “You’re not like him.” He said sincerely, while Hiro didn’t know, and hopefully would never fully know what Callaghan did; Hiro wasn’t even remotely close to being like the former SFIT professor. “You could never be like him. Never, ever.” Tadashi murmured over and over again as Hiro relived those emotions and panic he felt when he had realized it that day in the garage.

 

“But we saved her.” Hiro quietly said after a few minutes.

 

“Who?” His brother asked, equally quiet.

 

“Abigail.” The younger clarified. “She was in the portal. Baymax had ‘detected signs of life’ in the portal and we went in after her. But,” he faltered, “but we lost Baymax in it.”

 

The shorter haired male sighed. “We can rebuild him. Don’t go into anymore portals.” He scolded as a joke, trying to lighten the mood.

 

“Don’t need to worry about that, I already rebuilt him, used your notes from your insanely organized library of notebooks.” Hiro shook his head. “But he still has a karate chip.”

 

The older brother let out a chuckle. “Why?”

 

“Other than the fact that we need it in case we need to kick some butt,” The messy haired teen began. “And technically, it would help him be a better healthcare companion, because it _is_ exercise.”

 

That earned the teen a ruffle of his hair.

 

(---)

 

“Don’t you have an early class?” Tadashi asked around one in the morning, breaking the comfortable silence that had stretched between the two an hour before hand. “And anyways, you should be getting to sleep.”

 

“So?” Hiro shrugged, to into building his Minecraft fortress to really listen to his brother. “Its just a two how seminar, nothing major.”

 

“There’s a witch behind you.” Tadashi warned when he looked at the teen’s computer screen.

 

“What? No there’s not.” Hiro jumped when he saw that there indeed was a witch behind him and he managed to somehow hit it, making the hostile computer game character throw a poison at him, killing him in a matter of seconds. “Damn.”

 

“Language.” The elder sighed. “I told you, you never believe me when I tell you that kind of stuff. If they were real, and I told you, you probably wouldn't believe me.”

 

“Probably not.”

 

“Well, since you’re at a stopping point, go to sleep. You’ve got class.” Tadashi switched into big brother mode, gently closing Hiro’s computer, taking it and putting it on the table on the other side of the IV cart.

 

“It’s just a seminar.” The younger exhaled as he watched his computer leave his lap.

 

“ _Just_ a seminar? They’re once a week for two hours; you need to be awake and pay attention. You _might_ actually learn something.” Tadashi gave him a look.

 

Brown eyes rolled. “Yeah, sure I will.” He leaned back against the bed. “You know, I got your lab.”

 

“You’re keeping it clean, right?”

 

Hiro nervously laughed. “Uh, sure. You can clean your side when you come back, but my side’s staying the way it is.”

 

The elder mumbled. “I, uh, I don’t think I’ll be going back to SFIT.”

 

“What?”


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its a Friday.  
> Grammar shouldn't exist.  
> Not closely edited.
> 
> Don't Own.
> 
> *Note I fixed the chapter title. Sorry! *

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Six**

 

“What?” Hiro stared at his older brother, the same older brother who just told him he didn’t want to go back to SFIT, the same older brother who pushed Hiro to go to SFIT, the same older brother who was so unbelievably proud when his little brother got into SFIT so they could go together.

 

There was a heartbreaking expression that Tadashi wore. “I don’t want to go back there.” He softly spoke. “There’s too much- and what happened with- I can’t even _think_ about that school without having this internal freak out.” He stuttered out.

 

Hiro didn’t say anything. He could understand where Tadashi was coming from with not wanting to go back, he really could. But Hiro couldn’t help but feel sad about the fact that the whole reason the fourteen year old is going there is because of Tadashi, so they’d both be in college together, sharing a lab together, working on projects together. Everything together; that’s how they’ve lived their entire lives, and that’s how Hiro wanted it to stay. But the younger could see the attempted disguised devastated look in his older brother’s eyes and decided not to push it.

 

 

(---)

 

Hiro Leaned back in his chair in Tadashi’s hospital room waiting for his aunt to get to the hospital, the elder boy having gone to another physical therapy session.

 

“Hey my little college man.” Cass greeted as she walked into the room, Lucky Cat Carry-Out bags in her hand.  She handed one to the fourteen year old. “Did he just go back?”

 

He nodded. “About twenty minutes ago.” He said quietly as he opened the bag and started pulling out little boxes of food.

 

“Why do you seem upset?” She asked, looking at her youngest nephew.

 

Hiro sighed. “He said he didn’t want to go back to SFIT.” He told her quietly. “And I get that, really I do. But,” He trailed off.

 

“Maybe he’ll change his mind soon. Once he starts working through what happened, I’m sure he’ll want to go back.” She tried to assure, but in her heart she knew it was a long shot; Tadashi would probably never set foot on that campus again.

 

“Speaking of working through things,” Hiro said with a mouth full from french fries he pulled out of his bag. “Dr. Pat said that they have a really nice PTSD therapist working with them and would be more than happy to talk with Tadashi.”

 

A small smile appeared on Cass’s face. “Really?”

 

Hiro nodded. “Yeah, I had told Dr. P that Tadashi was back and whatnot and had mentioned that when I had said that his doctor was worried he might need one.” He paused for a moment. “And I think he needs one.”

 

In her mind, Cass knew that Tadashi would most likely need a therapist; the whole family had issues talking about what was going on in their minds when it came to feelings and emotions. She remembered her sister, the boys’ mother, had to see a therapist to talk things out after Tadashi had been born, even though her sister just said it was post-partum and she didn’t _need_ to see someone, she had benefited from it. And Hiro was seeing Dr. Pat.

 

Cass figured her poor oldest nephew would need on as well. Whatever he had gone through, she _knew_ it messed him up; and for Hiro to notice it, that was saying something. The elder always tried to keep negative emotions hidden when he was around the younger, choosing to not worry his little brother with his problems no matter how small.

 

“What happened?” She inquired, concern laced in her voice.

 

Hiro put down the burger he had in his hands. “He has nightmares. I know it’s only been three days, but they seem horrible. He won’t talk about them, but I woke him up from one not last night, but the night before and he flipped out and kept apologizing and wouldn’t let me go for almost an hour.” He told her. “And last night we were talking and he asked what all he missed, so I told him and halfway through the super long, novel length story, I lost him to his thoughts. And I _knew_ he was having a panic attack, I know one when I see one, and the fact that his heart monitor sits next to him also helped tell me. But he wouldn’t talk about it and even told me to finish talking. And he said he can’t even think of SFIT without freaking out on the inside.” He talked quiet and fast, trying to explain it all, but also didn’t want Tadashi to walk in and over hear the conversation, because then the older boy would stand there and try to wave it all off.

 

She nodded. “I’ll tell him about it.” She tried to smile, but worrying had be evident in her expression. “Now, why don’t you hurry up and finish eating, the gang is back at the café,” She paused to look towards the door fro a second. “Setting up a little party for when he can go home later.”

 

Hiro smiled and picked his sandwich back up. “Is a surprise party really appropriate for a person who’s a little sensitive to loud noises, bright lights and people?”

 

Cass shook her head. “That’s why everyone’s going to whisper instead of yell, and the shades are pulled over the windows.”

 

He laughed as he took a bite of food. “Whatever you say.” He told her with a mouthful.

 

(---)

 

 

It was around dinnertime when Tadashi was finally released from the hospital; having scheduled his next few PT sessions for the next few weeks, and he laughed when he walked into the café and his friends had whispered “Surprise”.  And they stayed well into the late hours of the evening.

 

After Hiro went to bed, Cass sat down with Tadashi, who was curled up in the living room chair with Mochi on his lap, the cat purring like he’d never purred before.

 

“I talked with Hiro today, when you were in physical therapy.” She broke the silence around them.

 

Brown eyes looked over into green.

 

“He had brought you up in his therapy session and Dr. Pat, his therapist, had mentioned that if you need a therapist, they have a great post-traumatic stress disorder therapist in their staff.” She jumped right into the sensitive subject. “And, both your brother and I think you should give it a try.”

 

He smiled warmly. “Really, I’m fine.” He tried to wave it off, choosing Hiro’s prior way of thinking about it – by not thinking about it, it wont seem real and he wont have to deal with it.

 

She gave him a sad look and shifted in her seat on the couch. “Just think about it, please. I don’t know what you went through, and I have a hunch you probably won’t tell me any of it, or specifics of it, but I do think you should talk about it so you can work through this.”

 

“I’ll think about it.” He lied. He wouldn’t think about the offer, he didn’t want to _talk_ about it and he most certainly didn’t want to _think_ about what happened, though he knew that wasn’t avoidable since it seems to be thought about subconsciously, having flashbacks tied to a word someone said or a nightmare he had had.

 

But the lie seemed to seem like the truth to her, she smiled again. “Alright, well, you get to bed soon dear, it’s getting late.” She gave him a kiss on the forehead before heading towards her room. “Good night.”

 

“Night Aunt Cass.” He called after her.

 

(---)

 

_How long had he been in there? The one fluorescent light had been turned off – the switch being outside the room, where he couldn’t reach it._

_The complete darkness and disbursing silence had been getting to him; seeing things he knew weren’t there but saw anyway, his mind coming up with little stories to entertain himself, and somehow, his eyes could have sworn those things were there._

_“They’re not there.” He whispered to himself as he tried to push his body further into the wall. He just wanted to wake up from this nightmare, go home and see his brother and aunt, cuddle with the fat cat that’s weird enough to eat a donut. He just wants to go home._

_The door suddenly swung opened. Callaghan stood there a second, letting the light behind him cast his shadow into the room, before he flicked the switch outside the door, turning the light on in the room._

_Tadashi immediately shut his eyes; the light was too bright for him, blinding him no matter how dim the flickering light was._

_“You’re going to do something for me today. And you better have it done in a few days.” He dropped a bag on the floor just inside the door along with a computer._

_The Hamada eyed the computer, but before he could even begin to think of a way to let someone know where he was, the idea was shut down._

_“Don’t get too excited.” Callaghan started. “This doesn’t have any sort of internet access. Just coding programs that you’re going to use to reverse engineer these.” He nudged the bag with the toe of his shoe. “You have three days to do it. And, because I’m feeling nice, I’ll leave the light on for the whole duration.”_

_“Why?” Tadashi’s voice cracked as he stared his former professor down, though it lacked any sort of flame._

_Callaghan walked into the room until he was standing in front of the student; he knelt down so he was more eye level with the young adult. “Because I said so. Because I control what happens to you. Because I know how important your little brother is to you.” The man hissed. “You get this done, and when I’m done with everything, I may let you go home.”_

_Brown eyes narrowed at the aged man._

_“Of course, I could just turn the light off again and leave you here for a while.” Callaghan stood up._

_Tadashi smirked. “Then you’ll have to engineer those yourself.”_

_Callaghan didn’t miss a beat. “Then I’ll get your brother in here to do it. He_ is _the one who made the Microbots, it’s fitting for him to come in and make more.”_

Tadashi jerked himself awake; a layer of sweat drenched his body. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, barely noting the fact that his hair stuck to his hand and face.

 

His breathing was erratic as he tried to pull himself from the flashback nightmare. It was exactly as what had happened when he was there, nothing changed. It felt just as real as it did when it happened. The threats of being in the dark again, bringing Hiro into it –

 

Hiro!

 

The former college student hopped up out of the safe confines of his bed and threw the partition open so he could check on his little brother.

 

The fourteen year old was fast asleep in his bed, Tadashi let out a sigh of relief. He walked over to the bed and just watched Hiro for a few minutes, watching him breath deeply and his eyelids flutter from whatever dream the boy was having. The elder reached out and brushed the unruly hair off of Hiro’s face. A smile danced across Tadashi’s lips as he thanked God for not letting Callaghan get a hold of his little brother.

 

 _The Room_ was no place for anyone to be in, but especially a fourteen year old. Tadashi would give his life twice over had Hiro gotten dragged there with him. If Hiro had to endure what he went through, Tadashi didn’t know what he would have done, although if the elder were being honest with himself, he probably would have attempted to physically harm Callaghan just to get his little brother out of there.

 

Scenes flashed in his minds eye of his precious baby brother being held in _The Room_ instead of him, Hiro having to go with whatever Callaghan told him to do, the young Hamada had a sassy and sarcastic attitude that surely would have shown it's head in that situation, most likely landing the boy in some hot water.

 

Tadashi shuttered and his breath hitched at the thought of not having Hiro around. Tears welled up in his eyes as he decided he was going to crawl into Hiro’s bed. He lifted the striped blankets and situated himself as gently as possible, curling around the younger, trying to protect him against his older brother’s mental ‘what if’ scenarios.

 

“‘Dashi?” Came a sleepy question from the boy wrapped in his arms.

 

Tadashi hummed. “Go back to sleep, otouto.” He gently instructed, tightening his hold for a moment, before it slacked.

 

The two immediately fell back asleep.

 

 

 

 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lalalallama!

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Seven**

 

_“Tadashi!” He cried out, tears streaming down his face as he followed his older brother into the fiery building. His brother’s favorite hat was in a white knuckled grip in his hands. “Tadashi!” He called again, rushing through the doors and into the fire. “Tadashi, please don’t leave me!”_

_Suddenly, the scenery changed to when they unmasked the Kabuki man, but this time, it was just Hiro and Baymax._

_“It’s over, Krei.” Hiro said as he held onto the mask instead of the hat he had_ just _had._

_The figure stood up, running a hand over their face before turning to face the newly named superheroes. But instead of the tech guru, Tadashi stood in his place._

_Hiro froze and his mouth dropped._

_“‘Dashi?”_

_“Give me the mask, Hiro.” Tadashi’s voice was different; it sounded raspier, dryer than it usually did, even cracked a few times._

_“But, but you died.” The younger Hamada muttered in disbelief and betrayal._

_“No, I had your Microbots.” The former college student growled._

_Something in Hiro snapped, furious at his brother for lying to him, making him believe the elder was dead, when in fact Tadashi was alive and had taken the Microbots and never once tried to tell Cass or Hiro that he wasn’t really dead, that he was alive and kicking. Never. Didn’t his older brother care about the two of them; how both Hiro and Cass cried for weeks at the sudden emptiness of the house; or how the both of them refused to eat? The fact that a woman whose known for her stress eating, didn’t eat a thing for a week, didn’t Tadashi care? And the non-stop panic and anxiety that Hiro felt over the fact that the most important person to him in his whole entire life was suddenly ripped away, did the elder Hamada not worry about what this would do to his family?_

_“Baymax,” The little brother snarled. “Destroy.”_

_The robot didn’t even object this fight, his eyes instantly turning red, arm raised to shoot his hand rocket, aimed right at Tadashi._

_And_ this fight, _he did not miss his target._

Hiro woke up almost crying, brown eyes tearing up ready to race down his cheeks. Until a movement distracted him.

 

Arms were wrapped around him tightly, not even giving the boy enough wiggle room. He glanced over his shoulder and saw his brother had crawled into bed with him.

 

_He’s not gone, Hiro._ He thought to himself, a small relieved smile on his face.

 

“‘Dashi?” He asked. How long had Tadashi been there? Did he have another nightmare?

 

The older male hummed. “Go back to sleep, otouto.” He mumbled, voice tired.

 

Didn’t have to tell Hiro twice.

 

 

(---)

 

 

“‘Dashi.” An annoyed sounding voice woke the male up.

 

The young man in question hummed tiredly, his hold on whatever was in his arms tightened as he shifted.

 

“Let go.” The voice spoke again.

 

Whatever Tadashi was holding, tried to pull itself out of his hold.

 

It took a minute for Tadashi to wake up and register where he was. For the longest time, he thought he’d never get to wake up in his room with his brother again.

 

“Tadashi.” Hiro’s voice snapped him out of his thought.

 

“What?” The elder’s voice cracked a little.

 

“Let. Go.” The younger Hamada punctuated his words with a fierce jab of his finger in his brother’s arm.

 

The twenty-one year old let go. “Sorry.”

 

The younger sat up, finally able to move after ten minutes of attempting to wake his brother. “You know, your bed is six feet that way.” He looked toward the partition-blocked corner of the room.

 

A nod of the head was all Hiro got on the matter, the older of the two choosing to go back to sleep.  He rolled his eyes and got up, leaving his brother on his bed.

 

The next time Tadashi opened his eyes it was almost eleven in the morning and he was the only one in the brothers’ room. He sat up and yawned, stretching his arms over his head and cracking his back, every vertebrae in his spine making a satisfying _‘pop’_ sound.

 

He stood up to get ready for the day, if he were to be asked, he wouldn’t be able to describe how amazing it was to wake up in his own room, use his own shower, and wear his own clothes; there weren’t the right words in any language in the universe that would be able to explain the happiness and safe feelings he had.

 

But those feelings stopped at the door to the café, at the bottom of the stairs.

 

The café was _loud._

 

The lunch rush was starting, and he made the mistake of trying to help out.

 

“Aunt Cass, really, I can help.” Tadashi gave her a smile as he took a few plates from the counter. “I’ll just do the clean up, how’s that?” He suggested, and without waiting for an answer, he walked the plates in his hands into the back, greeting a few of the employees as he went.

 

He was able to push the anxious feeling out of his chest for a while, not talking to anyone except his aunt, and the one waiter he accidently bumped into as he turned a corner; he avoided the customers as much as he could, only giving little nods of his head when they asked about him as he passed by their tables.

 

His chest felt like Mochi was sitting on him, squeezing his lungs to the point where he couldn’t breathe. He leaned against the wall in the back room, a hand pulling lightly at the collar of his shirt; he could feel his heart beating at a fast pace from under his hand.

 

Everything was too loud in his head. The people chattering out front, the clatter of silverware on dishes, the sounds of plates being semi-dropped into a sink full of water, even the bell on top of the door seemed to pierce through his ears.

 

His throat constricted, blocking his airway, choking him invisibly, like someone just walked out of Star Wars and was trying to use the force on him. He rubbed his hand on his neck, just to check that nothing was there to actually choke him.

 

And it scared him even more when nothing was there.

 

He didn't notice how tense his muscles were until he was shaking almost violently with how taut he seemed to be strung; making his bad shoulder hurt a little, short pulses of pain shooting through his nerves.

 

“Tadashi?” Cass’s voice echoed in his ears as she walked into the room.

 

He tried to stand up straight, not lean against the wall, but for some reason; he couldn’t let go of the wall all the way, his good hand gripping the doorway to the pantry in an iron grip. “Too loud.” He rasped out, trying to breathe, to get air into his lungs.

 

“Sweet heart?” She came up beside him, gently letting her hand land on his non-healing arm.

 

He tensed even more and jerked his limb away. “Don’t touch.” He jumped back.

 

“Okay.” She held her hands up, a worried expression on her face. “What can I do?” She seemed to know what was going on before Tadashi figured it out.

 

In his mind, this scene felt familiar some how.

 

_“Don't touch.” Hiro almost whimpered._

_Tadashi held his hands up in a submissive manner. “Okay.” He gently said confused as to why his brother reacted like that. “What’s wrong?” His voice dripping with concerned fright._

_“Anx-anxiety atta-attack.”_

 

Realization hit him, an anxiety attack; he was having an anxiety attack.

 

“I can’t breathe.” He’ll deny that he actually whimpered, even though it was just he and his aunt.

 

“Let’s get you upstairs.” She put her hand on his back, forgetting that he didn’t want to be touched at the moment.

 

He pulled away. “Don't. Touch. Me.” He snapped, ignoring the momentary flash back from the first of numerous times he had told Callaghan that.

 

She once again pulled her hand away, looking away from him. “Alright, sorry.” She opened the door to the stairs for him. “Do you want me to make you anything?” She asked as he walked past her.

 

He just shook his head before closing the door with a little more force than necessary.

 

Cass sighed. She wasn’t mad that he snapped at her, she had looked up post-traumatic stress, and plenty of sources said the poor sufferer may be more irritable, and she knew that anyone having an anxiety attack could be more quick tempered during those times, Hiro showed her that. And Tadashi was both in that moment.

 

She gave a sad look towards the door leading to the living space before heading over to a stove to boil some water. Even though he said he didn’t want anything, she was making him tea, partly because she knew he loved tea, and partly because tea can be calming.

 

In five minutes she was quietly, being very conscious of the noises she made, walked up the stairs and into the kitchen with the cup of hot water, a small plate of cookies, and a tea bag she wouldn’t put in to seep until it was in front of her nephew, who was curled up on the couch staring at the powered off TV.

 

“Here, sweet heart.” She almost whispered, setting the cup and plate down and dropping the bag in the water. “Do you want a blanket?”

 

“No, thank you.” He muttered, at the moment, he felt too hot.

 

She stood there for a second, watching him. “Why don’t you take a nap, I’ll be downstairs and your brother won’t be back until this afternoon.” She spoke, barely audible. And with that, she made her way out of the room as noiselessly as she could.

 

(---)

 

“Hey Aunt Cass.” Hiro almost crawled into the café during the mid-afternoon lull he was walking so slow, his school bag slung over his shoulder.

 

Green eyes looked up from the fresh donuts she was icing. “Hey my little college man. Want a donut? They’re fresh.” She motioned to the pan before her.

 

His eyes lit up. “Yes!” He grabbed napkin from the box before he grabbed a donut with it. “Thanks.” He said before taking a bite and heading towards the stairs.

 

“Oh, be quiet when you go up, your brother’s having a rough day.” She told him.

 

He stopped walking and turned back to face her. “What happened?”

 

She stopped glazing and sat the glazing bag. “He tried to help out down here this morning. Didn’t go well, got too loud for him. He _should_ be taking a nap right now. When I left him upstairs he was on the couch.” She went back to the donuts.

 

“I’ll be quiet.” Hiro assured her and continued making his way upstairs.

 

He sat his bag by the stairs going up to their room before walking into the living room. Sure enough, Tadashi was taking a nap. Hiro smiled as he reached over for the blanket on the back of the piece of furniture so he could cover up his knucklehead of an older brother.

 

As gently as he could, he draped the fabric over the young man curled up on the couch. But said man jerked awake when the blanket touched him. Dark brown eyes looked up at Hiro, blinking tiredly until his mind caught up with him.

 

“I was just covering you up.” Hiro whispered. “Go back to sleep.” He finished laying the blanket on his brother before he walked away, not letting the older of the two respond in anyway. He quietly made his way up the stairs to take a quick shower before his therapy session.

 

(---)

 

“Hello, Hiro.” Dr. Pat smiled as the boy walked into her office.

 

The boy sighed as he flopped onto one of the matching chairs.

 

“Anxious day?” She asked, watching as he slouched against the back of the chair.

 

He nodded. “Had my first attack at school in the longest time.”

 

He had been in his lab, by himself, everyone else was in a lecture or a class, when the attack had started. It hadn’t been that big of an attack, but he hadn’t had one in the middle of the day in the longest time. Mostly he was just getting them at night when he walked into his room and saw the emptiness of Tadashi’s side; all the memories and feelings rushing back to him before he went to sleep.

 

“How bad was it?” She clicked her pen open and pulled her notepad onto her lap.

 

“I didn’t stop what I was doing, I was able to continue working through it.” He told her.

 

“Worrying about him?” She treaded lightly.

 

He thought for a second. “I believe so; he’s home now. I mean, I was worried about him when I first heard that he was at the hospital, but I think I didn’t worry as much until now because had anything happened, he was already at the hospital with a whole staff of nurses and doctors on every floor.”

 

She nodded, not saying anything, and wrote down little notes.  

 

“But now I’m afraid my anxiety’s gonna kick back up to how it was before.” He gave a defeated huff. “I can’t deal with those again.”

 

“Did you ever talk to him about it?” Dr. Pat questioned. She continued when he shook his head. “You two might be able to come up with a system where, when you’re apart, you two can text or call each other to let each other know what’s up. Like, when you feel an attack coming on, send him at text or something.”

 

“I guess.” He started slowly. “I guess I should talk to him about it.”

 

(---)

 

Tadashi woke up from his nap to find a blanket covering him, a blanket he didn’t remember ever being placed on him. He stretched as he sat up. It took him a minute to wake up completely before he could stand.

 

He looked around and noticed it was getting dark, the sky outside the window turning a pinkish violet. He double-checked the time, making sure that the café was still open, and made his way into the kitchen to make some tea and wait for his aunt to come up.

 

Cass locked the door behind her before making her way upstairs, a box of left-over desserts in her hand.

 

“Hey, Aunt Cass.” A voice startled her as she turned the corner into the kitchen.

 

Tadashi sat at the table, a teakettle sitting on a hot pad and two teacups sitting in front of it.

 

“How was your nap?” She sat down across from him, letting him pour the tea into the cups, letting the scolding water wash over the tea bags sitting at the bottom of the decorative cups.

 

“I’m sorry I snapped at you.” He started off.

 

An understanding look crossed her face. “You don’t need to apologize, I know you didn’t mean to.”

 

“But I still shouldn’t have.” He muttered as he pulled on the teabag string. “You didn’t do anything to deserve that kind of response from me.”

 

Cass reached across the table and placed a hand on his, noticing the flinch he made and how his hand tensed. “You didn’t mean it. And I know you’re sorry.” She pulled her hand away from his so he could breathe again.

 

“I, uh,” He paused for a second. “I think I would like to try therapy.” He softly spoke. He originally wasn’t going to, thinking he could handle this on his own. But when he couldn’t even be in the café for more than a half hour before freaking out, snapping at his aunt, every time he sleeps he has nightmares about what happened, he closes he eyes just to blink and he sees Callaghan’s face.

 

Yeah, therapy is worth a try.

 

She smiled. “I already made you an appointment. In two days, same time as Hiro’s, right after your PT session.” She made the appointment while he was taking his nap; she _knew_ Tadashi couldn’t handle this by himself, no matter how hard he tried. “Is it okay if Hiro tags along with you to that? And you two can just head straight to the counseling center?”

 

He nodded, taking a sip of his tea. “Yeah, yeah that’s fine. Hope he doesn’t mind walking.”

 

She laughed. “I don’t think he does. He normally walks anyway.”


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. So, so sorry it's been almost a week since I last posted! This chapter was a bitch! Literally, I worked on every other chapter I've got planned so far AND finished chapter Nine before I even finished a page of this chapter. 
> 
> So, my apologies now if this chapter isn't completely up to par, I rewrote it nineteen different times, the original chapter is so far from what this turned out to be... 
> 
> Word has even yelled at me for my grammar abuse.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Eight**

 

 

Tadashi sat there in the waiting room of Revelations Counseling alone, Hiro having already gone back with Dr. Pat. He bounced his knee as he sat there. He was nervous, he never had a therapist before, not including his physical therapist.

 

He straightened up when he heard footsteps approaching from the hallway.

 

An older man stood there, more grey haired than brown, with a soft smile on his face. “Tadashi?”

 

The young adult stood up and walked over to the man.

 

“Hello, Mr. Hamada, I’m Dr. Michaels.” The therapist held his hand out to greet Tadashi.

 

The twenty-one year old shook it. “Hello.”

 

Dr. Michaels motioned down the hall. “Have you ever had a therapist before?” He asked quietly as they turned down another hall.

 

“Aside from the physical therapist, nope.” Tadashi answered him just as quietly.

 

The man nodded. “Well, I promise I don’t bite.” He chuckled. He held open a wooden door for Tadashi to walk through.

 

“Thank you.” The young male said as he walked by.

 

“Take a seat anywhere you like, anywhere that feels comfortable to you.” Dr. Michaels told him as the man sat down in his office chair, pulling away from the desk in the corner to face Tadashi.

 

The young adult looked around the room, and was partly surprised there wasn't a cliché chaise lounge in the room, instead a normal faux leather couch and a small coffee table in front of it, a matching leather chair sat in the corner opposite of the desk.

 

He made his way further into the room, taking a seat on the couch as close to the door as he could get.

 

Dr. Michaels watched him for a moment, pen lightly and rhythmically tapping against the clipboard on his lap. “So, how are you today, Tadashi?”

 

“Kinda tired. And you?” The twenty-one year old automatically replied. Lately it’s been his go-to response for that question and any question like it.

 

“Must be a universal tiring day.” The doctor’s deep voice pierced through his ears, it wasn’t necessarily loud, it just seemed sharp to the young adult.

 

 

Tadashi nodded, not vocally replying to that.

 

Dr. Michaels looked down at the forms Tadashi had filled out earlier before his session. “So, we are seeing you for PSTD, correct?” He looked over to the male on the couch.

 

Once again, a nod is all her received.

 

“Did you want to jump right into it? Or talk about something else?” The therapist asked.

 

Tadashi shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”

 

“Whatever is comfortable for you. If you want to talk about, by all means, we can talk about it. If not, we wont today.” Dr. Michaels told him, clicking his pen open in preparation to start writing.

 

The Hamada sighed, debating. One the one hand, he could put off talking about it longer, albeit, wasting everyone’s time and money; on the other hand, he _could_ start talking about, maybe get over it faster.

 

“You don’t have to go into details today, just the bare facts of what happened.” Dr. Michaels told him, as if reading his mind about not wanting to talk about it.

 

Tadashi propped his arm on the arm of the couch and leaned his head in his hand. “A few months ago, there was a fire at SFIT, the school I went to. I was there that night to watch my brother showcase an invention for a scholarship.” He began the story. “After the showcase had ended a fire broke out and one of the judges had said that one of the teachers I had, someone I _used_ to look up to, was still in there. So I tried to play hero and ran into the building, and after a few minutes of not finding him I decided to get out, I had to climb over some fallen piece of a wall or something and ended up seeing my professor, who was using my brother’s invention. While I just thought he use using them to protect himself from the fire, because the invention – these little things called Microbots – were fireproof.” He fidgeted in his seat; he really didn’t want to talk about this at all. “So, I ran past him to get to the side door, and just as I reached it, some of the Microbots, they’re controlled by this neurotransmitter.” He added, trying not to confuse the therapist. “Some of the Microbots wrapped around my leg and pulled me from the door. And the next thing I knew, I was being thrown into this room and my professor saying I had made a mistake by running in there and that he had things he needed to do, and when he was done with whatever, he may or may not have let me go.” He finished quickly, definitely not wanting to go into that part of the story at the moment.

 

“So a fire and kidnapping situation.” The doctor muttered out loud, in a sad tone, as he wrote something down. “How long were you with him?”

 

_The fire was back in June, and I was literally found last week_ , Tadashi thought to himself. _Aunt Cass said it had been about three months._ Hi mind told him. “I think Aunt Cass said it had been about three months. It's the beginning of October, yeah?”

 

Dr. Michaels nodded. “Yeah, yeah it is.”

 

“A little over three months then.” The young man murmured.

 

“That’s a long time.”

 

Tadashi nodded.

 

(---)

 

“Hey you two.” Cass greeted as her nephews walked into the café.

 

“Hey, Aunt Cass.” They boys each gave her a kiss on the cheek.

 

“How was it?” She asked.

 

Hiro smiled while Tadashi sighed.

 

“I’m going to go take a nap.” The eldest male said as he skirted past his two family members and headed up stairs.

 

The two watched him leave, confusion on Cass’s face, and a sad look on Hiro’s.

 

“Did it not go well?” She asked.

 

The youngest shrugged. “He’s been quiet since we left.” He walked behind the counter and grabbed a cookie from the pan on the back counter, taking a bite.

 

“Well, how did yours go?” She asked as she moved around him to take the pan from the counter to put the cooling cookies in the display case.

 

“It went okay, didn’t talk about much.” He leaned against the counter. “Well, nothing aside from what we normally talk about. Sometimes I feel like we’re just having the same conversation over and over again with different word combinations.”

 

Cass chuckled to herself. “All conversations are different word combinations. Every book you’ve ever read is just different word combinations, and every word is just different letter combinations.”

 

“Whoa.” Hiro dramatically held his hand out to his aunt. “No need to get a philosophical on me!” He finished his cookie. “Do you need any help down here?”

 

She shook her head. “Nope, thanks for the offer though.”

 

“Alright, I’m heading upstairs. Have I ever mentioned that sometimes, I really hate coding?” He asked.

 

“Not that I recall. Why?” She slid the display case door closed and took the pan back into the backroom.

 

“Having issues. It’s not cooperating.” He sighed.

 

She took off her gloves and ruffled his hair. “You’ll figure it out.”

 

“Eventually. Bye Aunt Cass.” He said as he disappeared around a door and up the stairs. He went straight up to his and Tadashi’s room.

 

Hiro was quiet as he came up the second level of stairs, not wanting to wake his brother if the young adult was already asleep.

 

“’Dashi?” He asked quietly.

 

“Hmm?” The older brother mumbled from his side of the room.

 

Hiro slid open the partition and peeked in. “Hi.” He stepped into Tadashi’s side and closed the partition. He walked around his brother’s bed so he could see Tadashi’s face.

 

“Hi.” The elder replied, sleepily, he really was tired.

 

“Scoot over.” Hiro quietly said and waited a few seconds for the not-really-commanding-demand to register in his brother’s tired mind. After the twenty-one year old moved over, Hiro climbed under the blanket with him and hugged him.

 

After a moment or two, Tadashi hugged him back, burying his face in Hiro’s wild hair.

 

“I missed you.” Hiro mumbled into Tadashi’s sweater.

 

The only response he got was a tightening hold from his brother before it loosened. “Go to sleep, bonehead.” Hiro heard the other mutter after a minute of fidgeting.

 

“Okay.” The younger settled down. “Have a nice nap.” He quietly said as he felt his eyes droop closed.

 

Guess he was going to take a nap too.

 

 

 

 


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To make up for the fact that I didn't post for almost a week, here's Chapter Nine (which was done before eight....) So, two chapters in a few hours span, yay! 
> 
> A little more hurt and comfort in this one. 
> 
> To be honest, I just want to break characters.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Nine**

 

_“Why aren’t you done with those yet?” A sharp, irritated voice came from behind Tadashi._

_The young man jumped in his chair, nearly knocking over the little table he was hunched over, the laptop on the surface sliding with the sudden movement. He turned to face the former professor behind him. “What?” He tried to keep the fear inside from showing through his expression, but his voice trembled slightly. “They’re a lot more complicated than they look.” He tried to defend himself, but ended up mentally face palming that was just another thing for Callaghan to use against Tadashi and drag Hiro into everything._

_Callaghan’s face showed indifference, as if Tadashi was nothing but a mere wall in his way; metaphorically, Tadashi was. “One more day, mister Hamada.” He leaned down so he was at the younger’s level. “One more day then I’ll bring your brother in. Move.” He pushed Tadashi out of his way to see the computer screen, checking his former student’s progress._

_Tadashi looked over the man to see the door wide open. It took him less than a second to decide not to quickly formulate a plan, and just knock Callaghan over and run like a bat out of hell._

_Silently, the twenty-one year old took in a deep breath, brought his arm up and quickly brought his elbow down just underneath Callaghan’s jaw. Tadashi jumped up, swiftly kicking his former professor behind the knee, the older man losing his balance and trying to stop his fall by grabbing the table. Tadashi took the chance to start running out the door._

_He wish he would have thought it through at least a little bit, he had no idea where he was, had no idea what this building was. He didn’t know if he was even running towards a way out as he kept turning corners, twisting his way away from Callaghan._

_Tadashi also wished he had remembered that Callaghan had a military background. But of course that thought didn’t hit him until Callaghan did, both of them sprawling to the floor in a heap of limbs trying to get the upper hand over the other set._

_A few minutes of scuffle, Tadashi found himself pinned face down to the floor both arms behind his back, Callaghan holding him in place._

_“That was an even_ bigger _mistake, Tadashi.” Callaghan hissed out between clenched teeth, leaning his weight onto Tadashi to get his point across. He yanked the boy up, pulling on his arms, ignoring the very audible crack that came from one of Tadashi’s shoulders, and smirking at the pained noise that came from the smaller male._

_While he may be held in a hold that severely limited his arm mobility, Tadashi sure as hell wasn't going back into that room with out a fight. He tried to twist his way out of Callaghan’s hold, and when that didn’t work, he reverted to trying to kick the man._

_And that didn’t go well._

_“Would you stop that?” Callaghan snapped when his leg was kicked for the umpteenth time in that hallway. He slammed the young adult into the wall, dazing the poor man. “I’ve had enough of you petty attempts at getting out. We’re on an island, you wouldn’t be able to get off if you tried.” He hissed into Tadashi’s ear. “So stop it.”_

_Tadashi, not truly believing that statement, gave it one last try at bucking out of Callaghan’s hold._

_That got him knocked out and dragged back to the room._

Tadashi jackknifed into a sitting position on the couch, breathing erratic as the memory ran through his mind. He curled in on himself as he tried to calm himself down.

_Its over, calm down, he can’t hurt you anymore. You can’t be dragged back into the room. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe._

 

“Have a nice nap?” Cass asked as she came around the corner, coming from downstairs, oblivious to her eldest nephew’s internal turmoil. She sat a few boxes of leftover cookies on the table; she had made way too many and was able to give all her employees boxes of the same sugary treat.

 

He shook his head, not verbally answering her.

 

She looked over from the table to him. “Tadashi?” She slowly made her way over to him.

 

“I can’t breathe.” He muttered, squeezing his eyes shut, tears leaked down his cheeks.

 

She sat down next to him, and slowly reached out to rub his good arm. She didn’t miss how he flinched when she touched him, but at least he didn’t pull away.

 

He uncurled a little; keeping his legs pulled up, but wasn’t hiding his face anymore. “I can’t close my eyes without seeing it.” He muttered.

 

“Oh, honey.” Cass’s heart broke as she watched him. “Is there anything I can do?”

 

He shook his head and leaned against her shoulder.

 

She ran her fingers through his hair, fixing it out of his face. She leaned her head on his for a moment before she spotted a small pillow he had been using. “Here,” She reached behind him to grab the decretive pillow and put it on her lap. “Lay back down.”

 

He did as he was told and laid back down, curling up and putting his head on the pillow in his aunt’s lap.

 

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” She softly cooed.

 

“He said I had made a mistake.” He muttered partly into the fabric of the pillow. “And he kept threatening to bring Hiro into it.”

 

She didn’t say anything, letting him finally vent about it, deciding to comment about Hiro being involved later. She started rubbing his arm again but more gently this time, it being his bad arm. She wasn’t sure how much he wanted to be touched, and so she wasn’t going to push it with a bone-crushing hug at the moment, like what she wanted to do.

 

When Tadashi started crying, he brought his hand up to cover his eyes, he never liked it when someone saw him cry, tears of joy excluded. “I had to re-engineer Hiro’s Microbots and he made me reconstruct this portal thing of Mr. Krei’s that the government shut down a few years ago.” His breath hitched. “And in between everything, he’d lock me in this room, in the dark and complete silence.”

 

Cass leaned against the arm of the couch, her head in her hand; as she listened to him speak. She couldn’t believe what he had to endure, for months!

 

“I want to be able to sleep again with out everything replaying in my head.” He mumbled, trying to calm himself down.

 

She leaned down and kissed his cheek. “You will.”

 

He sighed. “I wish it’d be soon.” He softly spoke, trying to keep his voice from trembling.

 

They fell into a silence for a while, Tadashi finally calmed down but Cass didn’t stop rubbing his arm.

 

“He’d get mad if I didn’t get something done right, or in a specific time frame.” Tadashi eventually broke the silence. “He also didn’t appreciate it when I tried to knock him out and make a run for it.” He shifted a bit, trying to bury his face more into the pillow. “But I forgot he was a former military guy.”

 

Cass visibly winced, she never knew that, but didn’t like the mental image of Callaghan slamming into Tadashi to knock him over or something.

 

“Didn’t believe him when he said we were on an island. Didn’t believe it until we were flying off of it.” He added into the pillow. “It seemed like it’s be a pretty island. Lots of trees and birds.” He absently commented. “It’d be a nice vacation spot if the government would allow it.”

 

“It probably would.” She sensed he was trying to change the subject, so she just went with it.

 

“Maybe they’d turn it into a state park.” He continued. “Hiking trails, an actual camp ground to pitch tents. That’d be fun.”

 

Cass nodded. “That would be fun.” Her voice was forced, unable to get images of her poor nephew out of her head.

 

“Maybe we can start a petition for it.” Tadashi shifted again, leaning into her touch now, relaxing a little.

 

(---)

 

Hiro walked in the door, but before he was able to greet his family, he saw them asleep on the couch. He tiptoed over to them and draped a blanket over Tadashi. Hiro would have covered his aunt up, but Tadashi was practically curled up like Mochi in her lap.

 

Hiro’s smile dropped a little when he noticed the dried tear tracks on his brother’s face. He hoped Tadashi would be able to work through what ever he had to go through. It scared Hiro at how shaken his normally strong brother was now, the same brother who had saved Hiro’s ass who knows how many times.

 

Even landing in the hospital with a fractured wrist didn’t shake Tadashi like Callaghan did.

 


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one didn't want to be written. And I'm pretty sure its not even close to being grammatically correct in any sense of the words. 
> 
> So sorry about that. 
> 
> And sorry it's a super short chapter.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Ten**

 

“I’m going to prescribe you an anti-anxiety medication.” The family doctor told Tadashi, she wrote it down on a piece of paper. She scribbled a few notes down for him to read later. “You just take one when you feel an attack coming on, you just slip it under your tongue and let it melt. Don’t take more than three a day.” She instructed, ripping the paper from the pad and handing it over to him. “I also think you would benefit from taking sleep-aids. I won’t give you an actual prescription for those yet, but you should look into the natural sleep-aids when you go to the pharmacy.” She continued. “Naturewell is a good brand, Fusion is also a good one – and they make theirs into gummies, if you wanted to feel like a kid again.” She laughed.

 

A small smile appeared on Tadashi’s face for second, before it fell. “Thank you.” The young man mumbled.

 

“Did you want to schedule your follow up now, or later when you know for sure you’re available?” She asked looking at him over her reading glasses.

 

“Um, I’ll call in later.” He told her, folding the paper up and sticking it in his pocket. “Thanks Dr. Richards.”

 

“See you in a few weeks, Tadashi.” She gave him a smile before walking out of the examining room.

 

He sighed as he pulled his jacket on and followed suit.

 

(---)

 

Tadashi stared at the entrance to the drug store. It was busy, and bright. He stood there for a moment, contemplating or whether or not to just have his aunt drop off the prescription, or waiting until tomorrow when the drive-thru would be open.

 

He visually slumped a bit. He needed his prescription today.

 

He took in a deep breath before walking in through the automatic doors, instantly, the store seemed to be brighter than it was when he was outside; of course, buildings tend to do that when they have tinted windows. And it seemed even busier than the cars in the parking lot led on.

 

With each step into the store he took, the more rigid he felt, the louder it seemed to be, brighter than it seemed to be. He reached into his pocket to pull out the prescription paper the doctor gave him, holding it in a death grip as he got in line to get it filled.

Tadashi wasn’t an impatient young man, no; he’d never had an impatient moment in his life. But in his mind at the moment it seemed like the line had more than a dozen people, when it was only four aside from him; and it was taking longer than it should, while he’d only been standing there for a little over a minute.

 

He could feel a headache forming behind his eyes. His free hand pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to massage the building pain away. It wasn’t working, everything was too loud, too bright, too many people were walking around him.

 

Another thought of having his aunt bring the prescription in crossed his mind again when his heart started racing in his chest. But the thought was chased out of his mind when the line moved and he had to practically consciously command his legs to move.

 

By the time he got up to the counter, he was a trembling mess.

 

“Hi, what can I do for you?” The pharmacy technician greeted with a smile when he stood there.

 

“I need this filled.” Tadashi handed her the paper, hand shaking as he did.

 

She looked from the paper in his hand to his face. “Do you need it filled today or tomorrow?”

 

He tried to keep his voice even. “Today, if you can.”

 

She nodded, “Yep, we can do that. We’ll have it done by five.”

 

“Thank you.” He said. When the technician turned away, he left, almost running out of the pharmacy.

 

(---)

 

He took a short cut through the park, wanting to do nothing more than to curl up in his bed and sleep off the headache he now possessed. But his heart was still beating as fast as it did in the store, his breath still coming out fast, and his muscles still taunt and trembling.

 

His shortcut was elongated when he had to stop and sit on a bench, not trusting himself to keep walking. He buried his face in his hands as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his legs.

 

 _Calm down, Tadashi. Calm down._ He thought to himself, taking slow and even breaths as he closed his eyes. _You’re not in the store anymore, calm down._

 

He was too far into his mind that he didn’t hear someone walk up to him.

 

“Tadashi?” A familiar voice asked.

 

Said young man jumped from his seat. “Holy shi- Don’t do that to me!”

 

“Sorry.” Wasabi stood there, bag slung over his shoulder. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Trying to get over the fact that I’m pretty sure I embarrassed myself back at the pharmacy.” Tadashi sat back down where he was and motioned for his friend to sit too.

 

The bigger built man did just that. “What do you mean?”

 

The older Hamada leaned back against the back of the bench. “Had a panic attack and I’m not quite sure what exactly happened. I was standing in line, regretting the fact that I didn’t ask Aunt Cass if she could take my prescription in for me, and I started freaking out because everything was too bright, and too loud and it was packed and I now have this headache.” He told his best friend. “One minute I’m standing in the back of the line with a handful of people ahead of me, then I started freaking out in my mind and the next thing I know, I’m standing at the counter.” He ran a hand over his face and frustratingly through his hair. Then he remembered he didn’t even look at the sleep aids the doctor told him to check out. He groaned. “And I forgot to look at sleep aids.”

 

Wasabi sat there quietly, letting his friend rant to him. Part of the young adult was glad his friend was talking to him about this, Wasabi had witnessed Hiro not talking about what was going through his head and that was a bad spiral down. The college student was happy that Tadashi wasn’t being the same way.  “If you need anything, you know you can call us.” He offered to the traumatized young man. 

 

Tadashi turned his head to look at his friend, and gave him a small smile. “Yeah, I know.”

 

 

 

 


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to get caught up in my posting schedule.... So sorry about the last few chapters being later than usual. 
> 
> Grammar... What is grammar? 
> 
> Hehehehe I've got a whole box of new ideas for this series in my head. This story... a possible 'other story... I better put on a long sleeved shirt, because I've got some tricks and plot twists to hide up them. 
> 
> Don't own.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Eleven**

 

What should have taken him fifteen minutes to get home, ended up taking almost and hour, Wasabi insisting on walking with him at least part of the way. The broader male didn't like seeing his friend panicking, and didn’t want the poor guy to have another freak out moment by himself on his way home. The two parted ways three blocks from the café, when the building was in sight. 

 

Tadashi walked in through the garage, completely avoiding the busy café; he didn’t think he could handle just walking through there. He walked up the two flights of stairs to his and Hiro room, where he saw a very familiar red case sitting in the corner of the room, even though it was empty, he still smiled.  

 

He walked into his side of the room and grabbed his laptop before making his way down into the kitchen to sit at the dining room table.

 

“Hey, hun.” Cass greeted as she walked into the kitchen just as he was sitting down. “I didn’t see you come in.”

 

He sat down and turned on the laptop. “I came in through the garage.” He muttered. “Hey, um, would you be able to pick up a prescription the doctor gave me?” He turned towards her, watching as she was rummaging through the pantry for something.

 

“Sure.” She said from the depths of the little food closet.

 

A little weight was taken off his shoulders. “Thanks, Aunt Cass.” He smiled.

 

The woman finally emerged from the pantry with a bag of flour. “What time does it need to be picked up?”

 

“Anytime after five.” He turned from her to start searching for an online school to transfer to. He couldn’t go back to SFIT and he honestly didn’t want to go to another brick and mortar school. He didn’t want to deal with people again.

 

“Alright, I’ll go right after the dinner rush.” She walked over to him and sat the flour on the table next to him. “Do you want anything to eat?”

 

Tadashi shook his head as he typed. “No thank you.”

 

Cass didn’t say anything as she heated up a plate of leftovers. She broke the silence when she sat down in front of him. “What happened today?” She asked, she had a hunch that something happened for him to ask her to pick up his medicine later.

 

He sighed. “Too loud and bright.” Was all he had to say on the matter.

 

A nod of her head was the only response she gave him. “Whacha working on?”

 

“I’m not really working on anything. I’m looking up online schools.” He muttered.

 

She sighed. “You really don’t want to go back to SFIT.” She more of stated than questioned.

 

Tadashi shook his head. “It doesn’t matter how many times they call me, how many times they mail me, email me, they could even telegram me, I still wouldn't want to go back.”  He leaned back in his chair. “I don't care how much emphasis they put on letting me continue on my scholarship, or that Hiro and I could share the lab.”

 

His aunt didn’t say anything as he talked.

 

“I can’t go back there.” He finished his miniature rant quietly, looking down, refusing to meet her gaze.

 

“Then you don’t have to.” She finally spoke. “And you can quit feeling guilty about it.”

 

“But I’m not-” He started.

 

“It’s in your eyes, Tadashi.” She continued, completely ignoring the fact he tried to deny it. “When ever Hiro brings it up, or when ever he just talks about the institute in general, you get this look in your eye.” She gave him a smile. “I may not completely imagine why you don’t want to go back, I can sort of understand it, in a way.”

 

He broke eye contact for a moment. “I might have to change my major.” He commented.

 

“Why?” Confusion was written on her face.

 

He shrugged. “Robotics courses aren’t ‘fully’ offered online.”

 

“’Fully’?”

 

“Yeah, some classes are online, but since it’s such a hands-on major, it’d be difficult.” He told her.

 

A sad look crossed her face. If her heart weren’t already broken from seeing him having to go through whatever it was he went through, it would have broken then. Tadashi, and Hiro, had talked about being in robotics in college since the two were little. And Tadashi being oh so close to graduating with a degree in robotics and the major possibility of him having to change majors, it did a pretty good job at re-shattering her barely pieced back together heart. “Well, maybe you wouldn’t have to change your major.” She thought out loud. “Didn’t you already take the required courses at,” She hesitated. “Already?” She changed the end direction of the question, trying to avoid mentioning the institute. “Weren’t you taking an independent study semester?”

 

He nodded. “Yeah, but I’m not sure if I were to transfer to a different place, if they’re let me just finish out with an independent semester and graduate without taking a real course there.” He sat back up from leaning back when he had a thought. “Although,” He trailed off, his fingers practically flying across the keyboard as he typed. Maybe he’d be able to transfer to the community college right down the street. It may not be as prestigious as his older school, but it’d be smaller and he wouldn’t have to change majors.

 

Cass sat there with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

 

He didn’t finish for a few minutes, reading through the college’s webpage. “Aha!”

 

His aunt jumped slightly, not expecting him to do that. “What?”

 

“The community college has a technology branch.” Tadashi explained. “I could transfer there, my major would still be the same, albeit, the degree is named differently.” He skimmed through part of the page. “Advanced Automation and Robotics. Classes are three times a week. Assuming Hiro gives me back Baymax, I’d probably still be able to work on him as a project.”

 

She smiled, happy that at least he still wanted to finish his schooling that all his hard work over the last few years wasn’t going to waste. She reached over and patted his hand before she stood up. “Apply.”

 

He leaned back in his chair again, just staring at the webpage, the bold grey font of the degree title staring at him. “I think I might.” He turned to look at her in the kitchen. “May I put down your number until I get a new phone?”

 

She nodded. “Yep.” As she walked by him, she leaned over and kissed the top of his head. “I’m proud of you.” She told him before she walked back down into the café, her lunch break now over.

 

(---)

 

It was eleven o’clock at night and Hiro still wasn’t back home.  Tadashi sat in their garage-makeshift-lab waiting for the fourteen year old. He couldn’t figure out if he’d rather have his little brother illegally gambling and bot fighting or out saving San Fransokyo with his friends as a group of superheroes.

 

One thing he did know, however, was that Hiro was still only fourteen, thus having a curfew to abide by, two technically; he was supposed to be home by nine, as set up by Cass, who doesn’t really enforce it; and one by the state of California for ten.  Hiro was currently breaking both of them.

 

Tadashi was lounging on the couch by the stairs typing on his computer and filling out some forms when he heard some recognizable voices outside the side door, coming closer. He quickly shut the electronic closed and turned off the little side light next to him, not the only thing illuminating the space as the multiple holographic computer screens Hiro had in the far corner opposite of him.

 

The door opened slowly as earlier mentioned group of superheroes, all still in their get-ups, walked into the lab, none knowing of the older Hamada’s presence.

 

“Seriously, though!” Fred’s quiet excited voice cut through the quiet air. “That was what he was talking about.”

 

Wasabi rolled his eyes. “No, I don’t think that’s what he meant.”

 

“Will you two shut up already?” Gogo huffed. “First of all, people in this house are trying to sleep and you two are going to start talking loud again if you don’t. And second of all, I’m tired of this conversation!”

 

Tadashi smiled to himself, never more glad that he had turned off the light, now he can scare everybody.

 

Hiro and Baymax were the last two to walk through the door before they closed it. Baymax looked just like Baymax, not in any part of his suit.

 

The older Hamada had a proud look on his face when he saw just how well everyone was getting along, especially Hiro and Baymax.

 

“You’re late.” Tadashi finally spoke.

 

Everyone yelped at his voice that seemed to suddenly appear.

 

Hiro immediately flipped on a light, a fleeting thought that someone broke into his house. “Holy geez! Why do you keep doing that?”

 

The twenty one year old chuckled. “It’s fun.”

 

“Why are you sitting in the dark dude?” Fred asked, setting his costume’s head on the ground by the door.

 

“Well, I wasn’t in the dark, but when I heard you guys, because really you aren’t quiet, I turned the light off.”

 

“Just to scare us?” Gogo popped her gum, slightly annoyed.

 

“Technically, to scare Hiro, I didn’t know you all were coming in. But I thought ‘what the heck, give all a heart attack’.” He stood up, setting his computer aside.

 

Honey leaned against one of the desks and looked at her best friend across the room. “Well thanks for not letting us feel left out.”

 

“It would have been mean of me not to.” The older Hamada put some papers in a folder.

 

The group stayed for about a half hour after that before leaving the two brothers to their devices.

 

“Were you seriously waiting on me to come home just to scare me?” Hiro asked once everyone left.

 

Tadashi chuckled. “I wasn’t planning on scaring you, I was working on something so I thought I might as well wait down here.” He was sitting back on the couch again, computer pulled onto his lap and the folder beside him.

 

“Working on what?” Hiro plopped down next to his older brother.

 

The twenty-one year old mentally face palmed. He didn’t want to talk about this at the moment, and honestly, he was afraid of what Hiro was going to say and how he was going to take it.

 

But before the elder could say anything, the younger grabbed the folder from it’s place beside Tadashi.

 

“Wait!” He tried to reach for it but Hiro stood back up and out of Tadashi’s immediate reach.

 

He watched as the fourteen year old flipped through the forms and papers. “You’re seriously transferring?” There was a hint of something in Hiro’s voice that Tadashi couldn’t place without thinking about it.

 

The older brother nodded.

 

The folder was thrown back in its owners face as the younger dashed up the stairs, slamming the door behind him, not even worrying about waking his aunt.

 

Tadashi sighed as he leaned against the arm of the couch before physically face palming himself.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, quick question I want your opinions on. This idea isn't set in stone or anything, in fact, its more like written in sand and if high tide comes (your negative views on it) it'll disappear. 
> 
> For a possible third story in this series, not counting the little drabbles I do time to time, would you like to read a full story about what Tadashi went through? I've got the perfect title and the perfect LAST LINES for that story and everything! Would that be something you'd be interested in reading?


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly more angst.   
> Don't own

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Twelve**

 

Tadashi Hamada sighed as he watched Hiro practically go out of his way to avoid making eye contact with his older brother. It’d been almost two full weeks since Hiro read that Tadashi was transferring to the community college a few blocks over; it wasn’t even official, Tadashi had just spoken with a few advisors and started filling out forms to actually transfer, and while it’s an open admissions school, it was mostly dependent on if the classes he’d need in order to fill the required courses for _this_ college were filled or not.

 

“Hiro,” Tadashi said when Hiro tried so hard to sneak out the doorway of their room, trying to hide in the blind spots Tadashi had from where he sat on his bed writing in a notebook.

 

The fourteen year old halted his steps. “What?” He coldly asked, not turning toward his older brother.

 

The elder moved and sat his notebook aside. “We really need to talk.”

 

Hiro pivoted and a shade lighter than Tadashi’s own brown eyes snapped to look at him. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

 

“Yeah, Hiro there is.” The taller of the two countered.

 

A bag was dropped from a small shoulder when short body shook it off. Hiro marched over to Tadashi’s corner of the room and stood at the entrance next to the partition. “You didn’t even tell me you were transferring.”

 

“I told you I was-”

 

“No. You mentioned you were _thinking_ about it. You never said you were.” Hiro stated harshly.

 

“And it still isn’t official.” Tadashi tried.

 

The younger shrugged. “So? You still found another college to go to, and you filled out a transfer application, and you didn’t even say anything.”

 

“To be honest, I just printed those papers out maybe six hours before you got home.” The shorter haired male defended himself as he stood from his bed. “There wasn’t time for me to tell you about it before you read them.”

 

“Are you done? I have somewhere to be.” Hiro curtly snapped.

 

“When you get back, we are talking. I don’t care what time it is, or how tired you are.” The older brother motioned his hand toward the door. And with that, Hiro left, leaving Tadashi standing there; and with nothing fixed.

 

He sat back down on the edge of his bed, the feeling of an anxiety creeping up on him. He reached over to his bedside table to grab his Xanax and took a dose. He was about to set the bottle back down when a thought crossed his mind; the dosage he’d been taking didn’t seem to work, maybe he could take just one more. The doctor had talked about upping his dosage when he went for a follow-up the day prior.

 

What harm could one more half-pill cause?

 

(---)

 

“I’m worried about my brother.” Was the first thing Hiro said when he walked into his therapist’s office. He dropped his book bag by the door, having come straight from school.

 

Dr. Pat glanced over at him as he plopped down. “How so?”

 

“His fuse is shorter than it’s ever been lately, and he’s more withdrawn from people.” He began. “A few of our friends were over the other night and he barley said a word to anyone; just kept to himself in the corner of the lab we have.

 

“He’s transferring from SFIT. Found that out a few weeks ago. Didn’t technically tell me, I grabbed a folder he had beside him and opened it and he had forms for transferring.” He finished with a huff.

 

Dr. Pat didn’t say anything for a moment, checking to be sure he was done speaking. “Well, maybe not wanting to go back to SFIT is a good thing for him.”

 

“What?” He looked at her. “Why would that be a good thing?”

 

She bobbed her head side to side in a thoughtful manner. “Well, a very traumatic experience took place there. Its very normal for a victim to not want to return to location where something happened.” She explained. “And it’s also a good thing because he very well may have a panic attack and knock his recovery back.”

 

“I never thought of that.” Hiro mumbled, more to himself than to his therapist.

 

“Speaking of your brother,” She segued. “Have you talked to him about _you’re_ anxiety?”

 

He sat there for a moment. “Well, not directly.”

 

“’Not directly’?”

 

He took in a breath, wanting to keep his voice even; he didn’t want to think of the few months when he thought Tadashi was gone. “A few weeks after the fire,” He cleared his throat. “A few weeks after the fire, I, uh, visited the cemetery and talked to the headstone for twenty minutes.”

 

An understanding look crossed her face. “Oh.” She wrote something down. “How did you feel after you told him, indirectly?”

 

He shrugged. “Like a little weight was lifted.”

 

A soft smile danced on Dr. Pat’s face. “I think a lot of weight would be lifted if you told him _directly_.”

 

“Yeah.” He nodded in agreement.

 

 

(---)

 

 

Hiro didn’t walk back through their bedroom door until almost midnight, and Tadashi was once again waiting up for him.

 

“Are you going to sit and listen now?” Tadashi asked from his seat at Hiro’s desk.

 

The fourteen year old rolled his eyes. “What?” He flopped on his bed, he was tired and he didn’t want to listen to his brother yammer on and on about something that the younger honestly wasn’t going to listen to.

 

“No, sit up and look at me.” The elder instructed.

 

“I’m tired!” Hiro countered.

 

His older brother shook his head. “I told you we were going to talk when you got home, wasn’t going to matter how late you got in nor how tired you would be.”

 

The teen curled up under his blankets not even brothering to change and ignoring his brother. “Well then you’re going to be talking to yourself. I’m not listening I’ve got to get up early in the morning. Leave me alone.” He pulled his blanket over his head to show that he wasn’t going to be paying attention to anything Tadashi had to say.

 

The twenty-one year old sat there for a moment before he sighed and stood up to walk away. He didn’t actually mean that they would talk if Hiro was tired and got in late, Tadashi honestly wanted to talk with his little brother, but if Hiro didn’t want to listen then what was the point?

 

“I have reasons, Hiro.” Tadashi muttered, as he got ready for bed.

 

He heard a sound that closely resembled a scoff come from under Hiro’s blanket. “Right.” Closely followed the sound.

 

The elder pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m serious, but if you don’t want to believe me then-”

 

“Like I said earlier,” Hiro jackknifed into a sitting position and ripped the blanket off his face, his hair sticking up more than usual now. “You didn’t even tell me you were actually transferring.”

 

Tadashi opened his mouth to rebut but was cut off before he could utter a sound.

 

“And don’t give me that ‘I just printed the papers out’ nonsense.” Hiro snapped. “Most people give transferring schools a little more thought than just a few minutes.” He threw the covers off himself and stood up, making his way over to his older brother.

 

Tadashi waited a few seconds before answering. “May I speak now?” He raised an eyebrow, he was tired of this argument; almost two full weeks of avoidance and curt words were getting annoying.

 

“Whatever. This is your conversation.” Hiro shrugged, his stance was rigid as he leaned as far back away from Tadashi as he could without moving or losing his balance.

 

Dark brown eyes narrowed for a fleeting moment before Tadashi’s expression softened. “I told you I can’t go back to SFIT.” His voice quieted down from the volume he was using seconds prior.

 

“You may have mentioned that quite a number of times but no real reason has shown itself.” Hiro huffed, arms crossing his chest.

 

Tadashi straighten and his muscles tensed. “You’re being very insensitive.” He muttered more to himself than his brother.

 

“Yeah, well so are you.” The younger huffed and walked away; he was tired of this argument as well and the fact that his brother wouldn’t give him a definitive answer.

 

The older Hamada male clenched his teeth together. “What the hell ever, Hiro. Stay mad. I’m done.” He rubbed a hand along his face in a frustrated manner.

 

A hurt look passed Hiro’s face as he turned to look over his shoulder at his brother. “And just what does that mean?”

 

The taller man pulled his hand away from his face. “It means that I’m done trying to talk to you about this. I’m an adult, if I want to change schools I can. I’m sorry that you’re mad about me not ‘telling’ you about it, and I’m sorry that you’re mad that we’re noting going to be sharing a lab or classes or anything.” Tadashi told him. “But I don’t even want to think about SFIT, let alone go back to it. And I’m sorry that I can’t fully explain to you why and leaving you in the dark.” He cringed at his own wording, his mind immediately remembering being in _The Room_ and being locked in the dark and silence. He turned on his heel and walked into his side of the room, slamming the partition closed.

 

Hiro stood there for a moment just staring at the empty space where his brother was standing. He mentally scolded himself. It didn’t get past him the way Tadashi froze up when he mentioned leaving Hiro in the dark. If the elder reacted that way to a word, Hiro couldn't even begin to imagine what exactly was going through his brother’s mind, what all he went through.

 

Hiro ran a hand through his hair when he realized he _was_ being insensitive about all this, he was being insensitive and selfish. Yeah, he was mad that Tadashi didn’t tell him he was actually transferring, but the elder did mention he didn’t want to return to SFIT, but if Hiro was being honest with himself, he was more upset about the fact that Tadashi is the whole reason why Hiro goes to SFIT. They were going to share a lab, work on projects together and all that happy jazz. And when Hiro thought his brother wasn’t here anymore, that bubble burst then to inflate again when they learned that Tadashi was alive, only to burst once more. Dr. Pat had even told him it was probably a good thing Tadashi wasn’t going to go back to SFIT.

 

He sighed, quickly changed into his pajamas and made his way to Tadashi’s side. He opened the partition just enough for him to squeeze through and made his way to his brother’s form, curled up underneath the blankets. He stood there for a second then crawled into the bed, Tadashi’s back facing him.

 

“Are you still awake?” Hiro whispered, which was a somewhat stupid question; he could tell just by Tadashi’s breathing that the young adult was not asleep.

 

“Yeah.” Came the eventual word, whispered just as soft as Hiro had.

 

The younger curled into his brother’s back. “I’m sorry.” He mumbled. “I _was_ being insensitive and I was being selfish. I’m sorry.”

 

He felt Tadashi’s muscles relax a degree before the elder turned so he was facing Hiro.

 

“I wasn’t even thinking about how you felt about SFIT.” Hiro continued when Tadashi didn’t say anything. “I’m sorry.” He repeated once more before falling silent.

 

Tadashi looked at him for a moment, a blank expression on his face. “I don’t feel safe there.” He finally muttered, avoiding eye contact now.

 

“I should have realized that.” The younger commented. “’Dashi, I’m sorry.”

 

The older of the two pulled the younger into a hug. “Shh. Go to sleep. You’ve got to get up early.”


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little heads up, a warning if need be, there’s gonna be a little bit of drug abuse for a little while. Just thought I should warn you.
> 
> Do you know how much research I’ve actually put into this story? A lot. And most of it, I haven’t used and wont use. Haha.
> 
> Anyway, I also want to thank you guys for all the lovely reviews and comments you guys leave on this story :)

 

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Thirteen**

****  
  


Tadashi woke up to a startling feeling in his chest, it felt like someone was sitting in him. He cracked his brown eyes open to see Mochi was laying on him, the cat had done it before and the feeling was oddly similar, but when he looked, the cat wasn't even in the room. He sat up and leaned against the headboard. He tried to catch his breath when he realized he wasn't breathing at all, having held it when he was trying to figure out if Mochi was on him.

Xanax! His mind suddenly screamed at him. Take your Xanax!

Immediately, he reached over to his nightstand and grabbed the bottle, popping open the cap and dumped out a half-pill dose. He slipped it in his mouth and took a sip of water from the glass he had on the nightstand.

He leaned his head back against the headboard to wait for the pill to kick in. But after ten minutes it still hadn't started working.

Tadashi stared at the little orange medicine bottle in his hand. Just one half pill more wouldn’t hurt. He was supposed to cut the pills in half to get the right dosage, so really just half a pill more wouldn't do anything to him, except maybe actually calm him down since the dosage he was already taking didn’t seem to do anything.

He glanced toward the bedroom doorway, making sure no one was coming up the stairs before turning back to the bottle in his hand. He shook out a whole pill instead of one of the ones he had already cut in half and popped it in his mouth.

“Tadashi!” His aunt called from the bottom of the stairs, startling the young adult he almost chocked on the medication.

He took another sip of the water before he answered. “Yes?”

“I have to run to the store,” She began as she started coming up the stairs. “Do you need anything?” She asked as she leaned into the room when she got to the top.

He shook his head.

“You sure?” She questioned.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” He gave her a smile. “What time is it?” He changed the subject.

“Almost ten.” She told him as she turned to go back down the stairs.

He dramatically groaned. “That means I gotta get up.” He rubbed his face as he finally pulled the blankets off himself to start getting ready for his therapy appointment.

“Are you walking or driving?” Cass questioned from the top stair.

“Walking. Still can’t really do anything with my left arm.” He told her. “Well, nothing that I’d have to trust my life to.” He’d been getting slow improvements with his arm, he was able to actually write and type; his hand was in better shape than his shoulder. Driving was too risky for the time being.

“Need directions?” She questioned from downstairs.

“I may be directionally challenged most of the time, but I think I know my own neighborhood.” He called down to her as he made his way into the bathroom.

“Is that a yes?” Came his aunt’s voice, muffled from whatever she was doing.

He was quiet for a moment. “Yes please.”

He chose to ignore her laughing at him.

(---)

Hiro stood back from his project, he had yet to actually put a name to it other than ‘Kinda like a firefighter suit but with gills like a fish’, which everyone gets a kick out of when he says that. He sighed in relief as he sat down in his chair looking at the suit. He’s just about ready to call it a completed prototype.

Almost.

He just had to wait a few more days for the testing lab to be open and he can set it on fire to see how well it takes the heat.

He was so excited to get to test it out, he didn’t want anyone else to be hurt by fires; he didn’t want anyone else to suffer a loss because of a fire.

He didn’t want anyone else to go through what him and his aunt went through when they thought they lost Tadashi.

His mind flashed back to that night. The dark sight and heavy smell of smoke, the blaring alarms from the building, his brother pulling out of his grip to run into the building, and the deafening cracks and booms of something exploding and the front wall falling into the mess.

Everything was so bright and vivid in his mind, like it just happened the night before instead of four months ago. And for a moment, fear about losing his brother clenched at his heart, like it has some many times before.

Calm down! He told himself. Tadashi is at home, completely fine! He tried to calm his poor anxious mind before it started to flip out completely.

Yeah. He knew that wouldn’t work. He knew his mind would ignore the rational side in favor of letting the irrational take the reins of  his thoughts.

(---)

His balance was off slightly as he walked home from his therapy appointment. But that didn’t surprise him much, his balance had been weird whenever he took a little more of his anxiety medication. He stumbled up the back stairs of the  afe as he made his way up to the living area. He had to grip the railing when he almost fell backwards.

“Guess we both got home about the same time.” Cass’s voice came from behind him.

Her sudden appearance startled him, making him lose his balance.

“Whoa!” His aunt placed a hand on his back, steadying him. “Sorry, hun, didn’t mean to scare you.”

The railing was held in a death grip by him now, his knuckles turning white. “It’s fine.” He tried to laugh it off, his chuckle sounding forced.

“Let’s get off the dangerous stairs.” She joked as they started up the steps again.

When he finally made it to his room, he flopped onto his bed, feeling tired all of a sudden. “Just a little nap.” He muttered to himself as he curled up on top of his blankets and closed his eyes.

“Tadashi?” A voice asked his name quietly, pulling him out of his slumber after he just started to doze off.

“What?” The young adult rudely mumbled.

“Aunt Cass told me to wake you up.” The voice started registering in Tadashi’s still tired mind. “She was getting worried about you.”

Brown eyes finally opened and blinked the sleep away before glancing toward where the voice was coming from and it took him a second to realize it was Hiro. “Why?” the twenty-one year old curtly asked, he wanted to get back to sleep.

Hiro didn’t say anything for a handful of seconds, sort of stunned at his brother’s attitude. Hiro’s woken him up a thousand times, sometimes even rudely woken his older brother up, but Tadashi’s never acted like that before. Just the way his tone of voice was clipped and cold made Hiro hesitate. “It’s going on nine at night. She said you’ve been asleep since noon and she’s tried to wake you up a few times.” The teen took a step back when his brother made to get up.

“I’m fine.” Came the same harsh tone.

“Oh, uh, okay.” Hiro turned on his heel and walked away from his brother’s corner and made his way down stairs.

“Is he up?” Cass asked from washing dishes.

Hiro nodded. “And he’s grouchy.” He commented, flipping over the back of the couch.

“How many times do I have to say not to do that.” She called after him when she saw him do that out of the corner of her eye.

“Sorry!” He cringed when he realized he’d been caught.

She shook her head as he went back to washing the pan. “Don’t break my couch.”

“I won’t.” He instantly replied.

“You’ll be buying a new one.” She joked. She knew they needed a new couch and if he were to break it, it would just be an extra little push to get a new one. She wouldn’t actually make him buy a new one.

“Do they have vibrating couches? Like a vibrating recliner? I would never get off the couch.” She heard her youngest nephew ask.

She laughed. “I don’t think so.”

“I’LL INVENT IT!” He yelled. “Can I use this one as a prototype?”

“Absolutely.” She trailed off.

“Really?” He sat up, believing her.

“Not.” Cass finished.

“Please?” He gave her a pleading smile.

She shook her head and looked over her shoulder at him. “If you want to invent it so bad, use the couch you have in your guys’ lab in the garage.”

“But we use that couch!” Hiro flopped back onto the cushions.

His aunt laughed as she pulled the drain out of the sink. “And we don’t use this one?”

“Use what?” Another voice joined the conversation.

“The couch your brother’s on.” Cass turned to look at the oldest boy as he made his way down the stairs. “He want’s to make a vibrating couch.”

Tadashi raised an eyebrow. “Why? That’s a weird idea.” He mumbled.

“Well, I’m weird. It’s a perfect match.” Hiro countered, his voice muffled from laying face down on the couch.

“Wasn’t going to say anything, but since you brought it up-” Tadashi joked while his voice sort of slurred his words. His mood was significantly better after he actually woke up, and from taking another dose and a half of Xanax.

Cass didn’t say anything, but noticed the difference in the way Tadashi was talking. She gave him a look as she studied him for a moment.

When he caught her eye, a fleeting thought ran through his mind that she knew he was taking more than his prescribed dose of medicine. But he shook it off and gave his aunt a small, forced smile.

She narrowed her eyes at him for a second before sighing. “Alright you two, I’m going to bed, I’ve got an early shipment I have to let in in the morning.” Cass began. “Don’t break anything. And Hiro,”

The youngest sat up and looked at his aunt.

“This couch better be in the same shape in the morning, as it is now.” She specifically instructed. “Good night you two.”

“Night, Aunt Cass.” Both boys replied.

She disappeared into her room for the night, worry for Tadashi was the thought at the forefront of her mind. He’d been acting differently lately, even more so since he went to the doctor.

She chuckled to herself and shook her head. “Side effects, Cass.” She muttered out loud to herself. Of course! He was still getting used to the medicine, even though it’s been a number of weeks, sometimes it can take longer than just a couple to get used to a new medicine. “Stop worrying over nothing.” She turned off her light.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woop. Two Chapters in a day. I'm in a very angry mood, so I took it out on my writing. 
> 
> Drama.Drama.Drama.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Hiro avoided his brother as much as he could. The last few weeks after they finally talked about Tadashi transferring, the elder of the two had been even more moody than he was before. He’d get annoyed easier, and over stupid things, the other morning, Hiro had left a light on when he fell asleep reading and when he woke up Tadashi snapped at him about it.

Hiro tiptoed up the stairs in case his brother was asleep, but stopped when he realized that Tadashi was still awake. “H-hey.” The fourteen year old greeted, he sat down a familiar red case.

Tadashi over from where he stood in front of his bookshelf full of old binders. “Hi.” He returned the greeting with a blank tone of voice as he eyed the red charging station his brother brought back.

“You’re up late.” The younger commented.  

The taller of the two shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep.” He looked back to the shelf. “Am I finally getting Baymax back? I’ve seen him in passing, I swear, only three times.” He trailed off, knowing that Hiro knew where the end of that sentence was going.

“Debating.” Hiro tried to joke. “Still need him for missions and what-not. But he is yours.”

A small smiled stretched across Tadashi’s lips. “Yeah.”

“You could have asked for him back before. I didn’t mean to keep forgetting to give him back to you.” The shorter male apologized. “To be fair though, he’s been in the garage when we weren’t using him.”

The older Hamada nodded. He knew Baymax was in the garage, had seen the charging case and the robot deflated, resting inside; Tadashi just didn’t want to see him. The robot was a project for Callaghan’s class, the same man who Tadashi had looked up to since the young adult had read one of the professor’s books growing up, the same man who started a fire, stole Hiro’s Microbots, kidnapped Tadashi – forcing the student to reverse-engineer earlier stated Microbots and forcing him to also put back together a government forced-shutdown project. Every time the twenty-one year old so much as looked at the robot, memories of late nights or all-nighters in his college lab flashed in his mind, nights that Callaghan would stop by to see how the project was going or help Tadashi fix a code the poor young man just could not fix.

Just the thought of Baymax was forever tainted with bad associations, no matter how much good the robot did, was doing, or could do.

****  
  


(---)

****  
  


The fourteen year old stood in front of the boys’ bathroom mirror. He looked at his reflection for a few minutes, noting to himself that he looked a lot better than he had been months and months before; he still looked at little worn-down, but that may have been because it was a little after eleven at night. He ran his fingers through his hair as he pulled on the side of the mirror, opening the cabinet door behind it. Absently, he reached in to grab his toothpaste, but ended up grabbing Tadashi’s anxiety medication. He sighed, as he finally looked into the cabinet, annoyed that his toothpaste was not in its regular spot, the same spot all Hiro’s toothpastes had been in.

As he went to set the bottle back in it’s rightful place, he noticed that the bottle felt unusually light. He pulled it back into the light of the bathroom and looked at it, taking in how much was a dosage and how many pills originally had been in the little orange bottle. Doing some math, he came to a startling conclusion.

Either Tadashi had been inadvertently taking more than he was supposed to; or he was taking more on purpose.

And something in the fourteen year old’s mind told him it was on purpose, the way Tadashi had been acting for the past few weeks – more snippy and short fused, how he would rather be alone, how anti-social he’d been when their friends were over or when Cass and Hiro tried to talked to him. It all made sense now.

“Okay,” Hiro huffed as he walked into his and Tadashi’s room, the medicine bottle in his hand. “Why are you missing so many pills?”

Tadashi’s glance shot over to his little brother, a dark expression falling over his face. “Why are you going through my stuff?” He stood up and walked over to the younger boy and pulled the bottle from smaller hands roughly.

“I didn’t mean to, I was trying to get my toothpaste and I just – no, I’m not defending myself. Why are you missing so many pills?” The shorter of the two started but changed the subject back to the matter at hand. Hiro hoped that the little thought in the back of his mind, the one that practically screamed Tadashi took more on purpose, wasn’t true.

“Don’t touch my stuff!” The elder snapped.

Hiro grabbed his older brother’s wrist. “Then answer my question.” He continued when the other didn't say anything. “Are you taking more on purpose?”

At first, the taller male hesitated. “That’s none of your business.” Despite the fire in his words, he looked away from his little brother, a desperate and devastated look on his face.

“Yes, yes it is my business!” Hiro walked in front of him, trying to keep eye contact.

Tadashi scoffed, and for some reason, the sound ripped right through Hiro’s chest. “Really? How so?” The deeper voice was hollow and emotionless.

“It’s my business because you’re my brother,” Hiro stated. “My best friend. It’s my business because I love you and I care about you.” He tried to grab the bottle back, but his hand was swatted away.

Tadashi pulled his hand out of Hiro’s reach. “Well, drop it, this is my thing, not yours. My life, my pills, my thing.” He harshly said. “So, just butt out of my business.” And with that, Tadashi stalked away, back over to his side of the room, roughly tugging the partition closed behind him.

Hiro was having none of that. He was not going to let his brother either slowly kill himself with medication, or slip away into whatever void he was currently digging himself into. “No. I will not drop it, nor will I butt out, Tadashi.” He spoke over the partition, knowing the elder probably locked it so Hiro wasn’t going to even try to open it. “You need to talk about it.”

The room fell deathly silent after those words left Hiro’s mouth. He swore even the clock silenced it’s ticking.

“You can’t keep this to yourself.” He quietly continued, no longer caring that he was stepping on a very, very sensitive subject with his older brother. “Talking about it will make you feel better.”

The partition was suddenly thrown open, Tadashi standing there, his jaw clenched tightly. “Talking about it will not make it better. Nothing will make it better, Hiro.” He spoke through clenched teeth, something he had never done to Hiro before.

The younger was feeling brave, even though he was incredibly frightened by his brother’s demeanor, Hiro was more afraid of what Tadashi was doing to himself to really care what Tadashi could do to him at the moment. “How do you know, you never tried.” He yelled. “You would rather hurt yourself than try to work through everything? Really? How smart is that?”

“Hiro.” Tadashi’s voice was low, a warning tone. “Stay out of my business.”

Hiro took a step closer to the young adult in front of him. “No. You’re my brother, so that makes it my business too. At least let me try to help.” He finished in almost a whisper. He was barely able to make it through when he thought he lost brother, let him once slip out of his grasp only to run into his grave. This was a second chance, Hiro was not letting go that easily, or at all for that matter.

Tadashi’s face hardened and he slammed his hand against the wall, keeping himself steady as he leant down to Hiro’s height. “There is nothing you can do to make this go away. Nothing you or anyone says can make it go away.” There was a desperate and devastated look in the elder’s brown eyes.

“What is going on up here?” Cass appeared in the doorway, having been woken up by the boys arguing.

Tadashi gave Hiro a pleading look, a look that asked him not to tell Cass about what Tadashi’s been doing.

Hiro shook his head, understanding the silent question loud and clear, but was having none of it. He didn't look away from his older brother while he addressed his aunt. “Tadashi’s been abusing his anxiety medicine.”

The dark look came over Tadashi’s face again.

“What?” Cass was horrified by the accusation. “Give me the bottle, Tadashi.” She stepped further into the room.  When he didn’t move, and continued to stare down his brother, she repeated. “Tadashi. Give. Me. The bottle.” She stopped next to him. She was praying in her mind that Hiro was lying.

The oldest Hamada male curtly stepped into his little corner and grabbed the orange container off his nightstand. When he came around the partition, Cass snatched it right out of his hand.

She gasped at how light it was. “Tadashi.” She looked over to him.

“Everyone needs to just stay out of my damn business!” He huffed and stormed away towards the stairs.

“Tadashi Hamada, you get back here.” Cass called after him.

He didn’t listen, instead practically ran down the stairs, barely remembering to grab his keys before he passed them.

“Tadashi!” Cass chased after him.

Hiro walked into his brother’s little corner of the room and sat on the foot of the bed.

This was not how getting his brother back was supposed to go. Hiro knew that Tadashi would be different, that his older brother wouldn’t be his old self again, at least not without a lot of help and time. But he wasn’t supposed to try to self-medicate with a medication that was going to help if the elder just gave it time. If Hiro really thought about it, Tadashi trying to force his old self at first probably did more damage than abusing the medicine. He didn’t know how, but Hiro had a hunch that it did.

He didn’t want to lose his brother again; he couldn’t go through that again, he wouldn't be able to go through that again.   

****  
  
  



	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to make a note that my grammar is, evidently, so bad, that it’s spread to Word. I typed “more sure” and the program underlined the two words with the suggestion of “surer”… I don’t know what to say about that. …. I just looked it up…. “Surer” is a word… and “More Sure” is evidently incorrect grammar…. I don’t want to speak the English language anymore… I’m so confused!

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Fifteen**

 

“Tadashi Hamada!” Cass followed the young adult down the stairs into the back room of the café as he made his way to the front door.

 

“What?” He snapped back at her, not brothering to stop.

 

He could hear his aunt attempting to catch up with him. “Stop walking this instant.” She _commanded_

 

His aunt has never commanded him or his brother to do anything _ever_. She’s highly suggested things before, but she’s never _commanded_. So he stopped, he didn’t turn around, but he stopped.

 

When Cass was in arms reach, she grabbed his shoulder in case he decided to start walking again. She stepped around him to face him. “Tadashi Hamada. What in the world is wrong with you?” She harshly whispered fear was more evident in her voice than anger was.

 

The furious look was still in brown eyes, his face still hard with anger. “Nothing is wrong.”

 

She didn’t say a thing for a minute, just looked at him and slowly shook her head. “This isn’t you.” She commented. “You have been acting differently for a few weeks now, ever since you got-” She got cut off.

 

“Of course I’m different.” He snapped. “I’m sorry I’m not the same person I was months ago!” He rolled his eyes.

 

Cass placed her hands on her hips. “That. Was. Not. What. I. Meant.” She curtly replied. “Maybe if you let me finish my sentence.” She trailed off.

 

“None of it is anyone else’s business.” He almost _growled_. Tadashi didn’t know he could get his voice that low and cold, surprised him as much as it surprised his aunt. The angry look immediately fell from his face, his attitude changing instantly. He leaned against the wall. “I’m going for a walk.” He softly said.

 

She didn’t argue as he sidestepped her to walk out the door. The click of the door rang as an echo in her ears as she let her oldest nephew stalked out the door. She turned around, twisting the door handle to open only to find that he locked it, a small sad smile came over her face. He may not be himself at the moment, but at least he didn’t want anything to happen to them while he was out. She shook the moment from her head as he unlocked it and scurried down the porch steps, she looked around the side to where Tadashi parked his Vespa. When she saw it, but not him, she started scanning the sidewalk.

 

“Tadashi!” She called after him when she spotted him, just before he got to the street corner.

 

He stopped, but didn’t turn around or say anything.

 

“Be careful.” She finished. She saw him nod his head before he disappeared.

 

She sighed before walking back in, relocking the door and going back upstairs.

 

“Where is he?” Hiro’s quiet voice greeted her when she stepped back into the entryway of the living space.

 

“He’s taking a walk.” She answered her youngest, just as softly as he spoke. She jumped a bit when Hiro suddenly hugged her, tightly. “He’ll be back soon.” She mumbled. At least, she hoped Tadashi would be back soon, she hoped he was just taking a walk around the block a time or two.

 

Cass could feel Hiro shaking in her arms; her heart broke a bit when she realized that. She knew the bare minimum of how Hiro would worry over his brother before everything happened, she couldn’t even begin to think of how much he must be worrying now.

 

“Yeah, he’ll be back soon.” She repeated, a little more sure.

 

(---)

 

Tadashi stomped down the sidewalk; he let his mind wander as he aimlessly walked. He didn’t know where he was headed; all he knew is had to clear his head before going back home. He couldn’t act like that around anyone, let alone his family, again. They were probably feeling disappointed and lied to by him at the moment. The two were most likely judging him so harshly at that moment; he could almost feel it in his bones.

 

He roughly rubbed his face with his hands as he muffled a frustrated scream into them.

 

He didn’t pay attention to where he was walking; just taking turns when he felt like turning a corner. Almost as if he were on a route that was familiar to him; that his mind automatically knew where to go when he headed in that particular direction.

 

So he wasn’t all that surprised when he recognized where he was when he passed two pillars.

 

He just subconsciously walked to the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology’s campus. He had walked the same route he used to drive, albeit, it took him significantly longer to walk the distance than it was to drive, but he was there.

 

He was there, standing at the entrance to the robotics building’s parking lot.

 

Ishioka Robotics Lab stood as bright and as tall as ever, illuminating the immediate surrounding area, light reflecting off the dark river that ran in front of it. The bridge that him and Hiro had stood on months before was still there, undisturbed from the showcase hall fire.

 

Tadashi stood there for a moment longer before taking a step onto the actual parking lot’s pavement and not the sidewalk surrounding it.

 

He needed to do this. He _needed_ to go into the school.

 

Slowly, his legs started leading him toward the entrance before he could back himself out of it. He tried to keep his breathing calm and under control, but his lungs weren’t cooperating. He tried to think of things to get his mind off of the internal panic he was feeling, to get his mind away from pressing the metaphorical giant red button in the control center.

 

Without his consent, his eyes wondered over to where the hall once stood. He was partially surprised that the school board hadn’t built a new building there, instead a lovely little park sat there. They had planted trees and he could make out a little fenced in area, what that was for, he didn’t know at the moment; he’d ask Hiro about it later.

 

Just as he looked in front of him, he collided with someone, who dropped what ever they were carrying and Tadashi lost his balance.

 

“Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry.” A frantic, but familiar voice yelped, instantly grabbing a hold of Tadashi’s arm to keep the young adult from falling.

 

“No, no, I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking.” Tadashi’s voice was strained as he spoke, still not big on the whole touching thing.

 

“Tadashi?” The voice asked in a shocked tone.

 

Said young man finally looked at whom he ran into. “Oh, uh, h-hey, Wasabi.”

 

The slightly taller male stood in front of Tadashi with a concerned look on his face. “Are you okay?”

 

The twenty-one year old shrugged. “Yeah. What are you doing here so late?” He tried to change the subject from himself.

 

Wasabi gave him a look, but shrugged it off sensing the young adult didn’t want to talk about himself. “Finishing up a project. I was just taking some things to my car.” He knelt down to pick up the box he dropped.

 

“Need help?” Tadashi offered quietly, he eyed the building two feet in front of him, he wanted to prolong going into it for as long as possible.

 

Then man in front of the Hamada shook his head. “Nah, I jut got this box and a few binders I have to run back in and get.” He adjusted the box in his hands. “W-were you going in?”

 

Tadashi hesitated before he nodded slowly, avoiding eye contact.

 

“Do you want me to walk with you?” The dreadlocked man asked quietly. He didn’t know what was going through his friend’s mind at the moment, but he most definitely wasn’t going to leave him hear all by himself.

 

The slightly shorter male didn’t respond right away, seeming to be genuinely thinking about that question. “I don’t know.”

 

Wasabi looked from Tadashi to the building then back to the young man. “ I can hang out in the student lounge. I assume you want to do some thinking, I can stay in there in case you need something.” He quietly suggested.

 

“I don’t want to waste your time.” Tadashi muttered. He already felt guilty enough for scaring and worrying his family, and getting into a screaming match his with little brother, and the whole medication debacle; he didn’t want to waste Wasabi’s time, especially since it was nearing midnight and the college student was obviously tired and ready to go home to sleep.

 

Wasabi shook his head. “You wouldn’t be.”

 

Tadashi shrugged and looked back towards the building for a handful of seconds.

 

Tadashi ended up waiting for Wasabi to take his box to his van, and walked with the current SFIT student to the lab.

 

“I’ll be in the lounge if you need me.” The student told his friend and disappeared around the corner, leaving Tadashi to himself.

 

The lab seemed to look exactly the same as it had when he was last there. Gogo’s bike, albeit more advanced looking, was still hung up where she worked on it; Honey’s space was still colorfully organized with notebooks and binders, her chemical beakers clean and sitting on shelves behind her counters; and Wasabi’s area was as neat and tidy as ever.

 

That only left his old lab space, Hiro’s lab space, to inspect.

 

Tadashi approached the door to the closed off lab. He stopped when he stood right in front of it. He reached forward and ran his fingers over the engraved plate right above the lock pad by his old lab door.

 

_‘The Tadashi Hamada Lab: dedicated in memory of one of the brightest students’_ was etched in black font on the silver metal. Hiro told him they named the lab in his name. He felt kind of morbid the longer he looked at it, the more he ran the pad of his finger over the lettering.

 

He looked a little lower on the wall to see the lock pad flashing up at him, asking for who ever was standing there to put in the code. Tadashi thought for a moment, wondering if his little brother changed the code. He shook his head, if Hiro missed him, as much as the younger Hamada said he did, Hiro didn’t change the passcode.

 

His fingers danced over the number pad like it was second nature, never missing a beat or messing up, and pressed enter.

 

And the door slid open.

 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's in a sentence? That which we use grammar by any other structure would read just as well. 
> 
> Don't own.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Tadashi flipped the light switch the controlled the light above the desk, the dimmest light in the room, and was greeted by the space illuminating.

 

The lab looked the same as when he had it, but yet, it was also different in a slightly foreign way.

 

The old desk was still there, of course, it was built into the wall; even the computers were in the same exact spot – and those could be moved. While the actual surface of the desk was littered with notes and papers that had Hiro’s chicken scratch writing all over it, it was all laid out in an organized way only Hiro would understand. Even Tadashi’s jacket was still draped from the back of the desk chair.

 

There was a workstation in front of the window, just a little platform with a stand attached to the back, and a suit hung up on the stand. Tadashi stepped closer to it and saw it was the suit Hiro was telling him about.

 

He could tell, even in the prototype stage, it was going to be something great. It had a sleek and slim design, made more free movement, while it had a belt along the waist that had a few things hooked up to it; Tadashi didn’t know what those were about, he’d just have to ask Hiro about it later. A fleeting thought of Hiro telling him about the project flashed in his mind as he pulled out his old lab chair to sit in.

 

As he looked around the room, he couldn’t help but think back to when he actually attended.

 

_His seventh test hadn’t gone too well. At all. And his face got the brute of it. He was pretty sure his eye was going to be black and blue and his nose was already bleeding – he’d be surprised if it wasn’t broken. He stumbled out of his private lab and out onto the lab floor, a few paper towels he had pressed to his face._

_As he walked through the space, he tried to keep he head titled back, but that proved to be ineffective when he kept running into things. And people, more specifically, Professor Callaghan._

_“My word, mister Hamada!” Was the first thing the SFIT professor said when he looked at the student. “What on earth happened?”_

_Tadashi tried to chuckle but that sent little pulses of pain through his face and made his already tearing up eyes water more. “Well, my prototype felt like flipping out. For a future healthcare thing, it can really hurt someone.” He deadpanned._

_Callaghan tried his hardest to hide the smile that wanted to show itself. “What an ironic twist in plot.” He chuckled._

_The young adult rolled his eyes and continued to press the paper towels to his face. “At least I don’t think it’s broken.” He absently commented._

_“That’s good at least.” The teacher stifled his laughter. “So you need help going to the nurse or-”_

_Tadashi shook he head. “Nah, I’m just going to clean up, print the code out then head home and ice my face.”_

_Callaghan coughed to hide another laugh. “Don’t run into anything.” He advised when his student started walking away._

_“Too late.” The younger male replied before walking out._

 

Tadashi leaned back in the chair then forward again when something on the back of the chair felt uncomfortable. He reached behind him and absently adjusted the jacket on the back before trying to get comfortable again.

 

 _The thirty-fourth test of his robotics project made the entire floor lose power, much like how the thirty-second and third tests did. Luckily, it was 9:30 at night and anyone with common sense had gone home for the night. Well, Tadashi_ thought _everyone had gone home, until a knock on his lab door sounded throughout the room before it opened._

_“Alright, mister Hamada, what’d you do?” Professor Callaghan tiredly laughed as he walked into the student’s lab, a flashlight lighting his way._

_The student before him was frustrated and tired, that much the professor could tell, if the bags under Tadashi’s eyes and the fact that his hat was on backwards clued anything. The flashlight in Tadashi’s hand pointed to the ground._

_Tadashi sighed and rubbed his hand over his face, though Callaghan couldn’t see. “I don’t know.” The young adult stepped away from the partially built robot. “He’s not even connected to_ that _much power.”_

_Callaghan walked forward to take a look at the prototype. “It was probably just another surge.”_

_A groan of irritation left Tadashi’s throat. “I can’t find out why he keeps making this happen!”_

_The professor chuckled. “I think this is a great stopping point for you to go home and sleep.”_

_The younger male sighed. “Yeah, I guess.”_

_“In fact, I insist that you don’t work on him at all this weekend.” Callaghan continued._

_“But there-”_

_“You’ll probably catch the mistake after you’ve given yourself an actual break, not the few hours of sleep you get and consider a ‘break’.” The professor cut the student off._

_Tadashi thought for a moment. “Fine.” He muttered as he went around the room, turning off the machines he had and gathering his bag and jacket up._

_The two walked out of Tadashi’s lab just as the lights came back on._

_“Oh, and mister Hamada?” Callaghan began before Tadashi reached the doors to exit the lab floor._

_Said student turned slightly._

_“I will be disappointed if I come in here this weekend and either see you working, or your robot gone.” The professor gave the young man a look that wasn’t quite serious, but was still meant to be taken that way._

_The student nodded. “Night professor.” Was all he said as he walked out the door._

 

Tadashi had to pull himself from memories and back into reality when his chest felt constricted and he had already started trembling and couldn’t breathe right.

 

“I shouldn’t have come here.” He muttered to himself out loud. Immediately, he stood up to leave but had to steady himself for a few seconds before he left Hiro’s lab, not looking back.

 

“Hey.” Wasabi greeted when Tadashi stumbled into the lab a few minutes later.

 

“I _knew_ I shouldn’t have come in.” The slightly shorter male practically wheezed. He dropped into an armchair next to his friend.

 

Wasabi didn’t know how to reply to that.

 

“And now, not only have I given myself an anxiety attack and wasted you’re time, I’ve also broken into my brother’s lab.” Tadashi rubbed his hands over his face for the umpteenth time that night.

 

“Don’t you have a prescription for that?” The college student asked.

 

The other male sighed. “Yeah.”

 

That raised an eyebrow on Wasabi. “That was a heavy loaded ‘yeah’.”

 

Tadashi fell quiet for a moment. “Yeah, yeah it was.” He contemplated on whether or not to tell his friend just why that was a ‘heavy loaded’ response. But he ultimately decided against it; no one else needed to know about his very low point. “I just don’t like taking it.” He lied and leaned against the arm of the chair, turning his upper body to face his friend.

 

They fell quiet for a few minutes, Tadashi just not wanting to talk, and Wasabi not know how to continue the conversation.

 

“You know, he acts like you.” Wasabi suddenly said, startling Tadashi.

 

“What?” The shorter haired male asked.

 

“Hiro.” The broader male clarified. “He acts like you. One day, he got excited for some other little project he was working on for an elective he was taking, and when he finally got it to work, he danced around for ten minutes.”

 

That little similarity made Tadashi crack a smile.

 

“We also have to drag him away when he’s been working too long on something without a break.” Wasabi continued.

 

“Yeah, he’s bad at that.” Tadashi mumbled. “Had to put a couch in the garage when he started falling asleep at his desk. And thank God aunt Cass takes him meals when he’s working on something, otherwise he’d never eat!”

 

“You two are scarily similar.” Wasabi told him. “If there were any doubts in your minds that you two _weren’t_ related, it’s squashed now. Although, he does encourage Fred’s crazy ideas, so there’s one difference.” He thought out loud.

 

That made Tadashi chuckle. “I don’t think I’ve ever tried to pull the ‘you’re adopted’ trick on him before. I wonder if he’d fall for it.”

 

The two friends shared a look before shaking their heads.

 

“Probably not.” Wasabi said.

 

Tadashi agreed. “He’s too smart for that.”

 

“Do you need a ride home?” Wasabi asked Tadashi fell quiet for a few minutes. “It’s on the way.”

 

The shorter male nodded. “If you don’t mind.” He muttered.

 

(---)

 

Tadashi dropped his keys on the table next to the stairs leading to his and Hiro’s room as he made his way into the living room, where the TV was on. He was sure either his aunt was still awake waiting for him, or she fell asleep waiting for him.

 

“Aunt Cass?” He quietly asked as he rounded the chair, only to find that she indeed was asleep. “Aunt Cass?” He reached down to gently shake her shoulder.

 

She blinked awake after a few shakes.

 

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.” He softly spoke, holding his hand out to her. He helped he over to her room but she stopped at the doorway, turned and faced him, a haunted-esque look in her eyes.

 

“We’re talking in the morning.” The way she spoke gave no room for argument, and neither did her harshly shutting the door before he could have had a chance to say anything.

 

But he nodded to the door anyway then headed upstairs.

 

He was quiet when he reached the top of the stairs, glancing toward his brother’s bed. His heart stopped when he saw the fourteen year old wasn’t in it. He rushed over to his side of the room to grab his computer to check Hiro’s tracking devices, assuming the teen hadn’t found them in his absence and gotten rid of them. Tadashi threw open the partition only to be greeted with the sight of Hiro sleeping on his bed.

 

The elder boy sighed in relief as he crawled into his bed and curled around his little brother.

 

The boy stiffened and turned a little to face the other. He didn’t say anything, just looking at Tadashi with an apathetic expression on his face.

 

The elder sighs as he cards his fingers through his brother’s unruly hair. “I’m sorry.” He starts in a hushed tone. “I shouldn’t have acted like that, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

 

Hiro fully turned to face Tadashi, still not speaking, just listening.

 

“I know you’re just trying to help, and that you’re concerned about me.” The twenty-one year old continued, still messing with Hiro’s hair.

 

The younger shifted closer to the other, hugging him close. He wasn’t going to lose his brother again. He sniffled, trying to keep the tears that wanted to run down his face, in his eyes; they had wanted to fall since the argument. He buried his face into his brother’s jacketed chest.

 

“I, uh, I also want to apologize for, technically, breaking into your lab at SFIT.” Tadashi finished quietly.

 

Hiro shot away from his older brother. “You went to SFIT?” Disbelief colored his tone. “I thought you didn’t want to go back.”

 

Tadashi shrugged. “I didn’t, still don’t, I just ended up there.”

 

“Are you-”

 

The shorter haired male shook his head, knowing where that question was leading. “No. I’m not re-enrolling there. I don’t care how many times they call, email, snail mail, telegram; I’m not going to.”

 

Hiro sat up and leaned on one of his arms, so he was looking down slightly at his brother. “What happened?” He brokenly whispered. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted to know though, with how Tadashi, his strong and brave brother whose saved Hiro’s ass so many times from people in alleyways that could break both of them into multiple pieces with a flick of their wrists, was reacting to it.

 

The elder genuinely thought about it, if he should tell Hiro, even if it were just the bare events. “I can’t.”

 

“Can’t? Or _won’t_?” The younger quietly responded, looking down at his brother.

 

There was something in Tadashi’s eyes that told Hiro the answer before the older verbalized it. “Can’t, Hiro, can’t.”

 

“When?” The smaller boy continued to press.

 

“Hiro, stop.” Tadashi’s voice cracked when he spoke.

 

Hiro laid back down and was eye level with Tadashi. “Sorry.” He mumbled.

 

“Just go to sleep, knucklehead.” The older tried to force his old-self again.

 

And Hiro saw right through it.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't Own.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Seventeen**

Tadashi woke up right after Hiro left for school, but not of his decision. Cass had marched into the room and almost rudely woken him up.

 

“Tadashi.” She sharply said, startling said young man awake.

 

He jackknifed into a sitting position. “What?” He rubbed at his eyes.

 

“Get up.” Cass huffed before walking out of the room, leaving no room for argument.

 

He sighed when he woke up enough to remember why she seemed so hostile. He slowly got up, pulled on a shirt and trudged downstairs to no doubt an earful of a lecture.

 

“Sit down.” His aunt pointed to a chair at the kitchen table. She placed a teapot on a hot pad and walked back over to the stove.

 

_Great, this is going to be a long talk._ Tadashi thought to himself as he sat in the chair she pointed to. Whenever his aunt said they needed to talk and she got out _refreshments_ , they were going to be there for a while. He stayed quiet as she finished up doing whatever she was doing, the only noise coming from the chair he was in as he anxiously bounced his leg.

 

“Alright.” She turned and walked over to the chair across from him. She sat a plate of scones in between them, next to the teapot. “They’re apple.” She absently told him.

 

He didn’t move to grab one; instead he just poured the tea into the two cups and stayed quiet, avoiding her glance. Even without looking at her, he could feel her gaze on him with any little movement he did.

 

Cass sighed. “Why?” She finally asked.

 

“Why what?” He muttered back.

 

“Don’t do that.” She harshly stated. “Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”

 

He leaned back in his chair. “I really don’t feel like talking about it. I won’t do it again. Can we just leave it?” He finally looked at her.

 

An angry but heartbroken expression was on her face. “No. No we cannot ‘just leave it’, Tadashi.” She told him. “I’m also not going to drop it, overlook it, or ignore it. And we’re not leaving from these spots until we talk about it.”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He said again, quieter.

 

“Fine. I’ll talk about it and you’ll sit there and listen.” She said before taking a breath. “Do you know how dangerous it is to do that? What would have happened if one day you Od’d and no one was here?” Her voice faltered a bit, obviously not wanting to even think about that.

 

“You can’t die from Xanax alone.” He muttered. “I checked.”

 

A slight angry expression crossed her face. “There’s a first for everything.” She huffed. “You would rather harm yourself and abuse your anxiety medication than talk to someone?”

 

Tadashi didn’t answer; he just slid down in his chair a bit, trying to hide himself from the world and his aunt.

 

“I wish you would talk to us, or therapist.” She continued.

 

“I thought he wasn't supposed to talk to you about it.” Tadashi muttered under his breath. Didn’t the doctor-patient-confidentiality mean anything anymore?

 

Cass heard it. “He hasn’t. I’m just going off of how you’re acting _and_ the fact that last night you told Hiro that talking about it wouldn’t make it better.”

 

He visibly flinched; he doesn’t remember quite every he yelled at Hiro last night, but he didn’t know his aunt heard it all, or that Hiro told her.

 

“So am I wrong in thinking you haven’t talked about it at all?” She questioned.

 

Tadashi crossed his arms and slid in his chair some more. “No.” He mumbled.

 

She nodded. “So self medicating is easier than talking about it?”

 

He avoided her glance again. “A little.” He admitted.

 

“Are you serious?!” She borderline shouted and jumped up, scooting her chair back in the process.

 

“It wasn’t my finest moment, I know!” He yelled back. “I won’t do it again! Can we just drop this now?”

 

“No. I told you we are talking through this.” She stated. “Where did you even get the idea to do that?” She sat back down and looked at her oldest nephew across from her.

 

He didn’t answer right away, choosing to stay silent for another moment longer. “It was an accident the first time.” He murmured. “I took a full pill instead of a half but I found it to actually work better than just a half one. I only ever took half a dosage more than I was supposed to.” He told her as he stared at the teapot between them.

 

His aunt sighed.

 

“I won’t do it again.” He continued. “I probably won’t even take it again.”

 

“You don’t have to just stop taking them.” Cass gently disagreed with his decision.

 

He shook his head. “What I was supposed to take never really worked.”

 

The fell silent for a few minutes, the air around them was edging on awkward.

 

“You really scared your brother.” Cass softly said.

 

He nodded. “I got that.”

 

She knew just how bad Tadashi scared his little brother, Hiro having told her in passing that he had always worried about the elder and that was the main reason why he was an anxious ball of energy most of the time. She wanted to tell Tadashi that the two of them really needed to talk, but decided she’d let Hiro approach him. “He didn’t want to go to sleep until you got back last night.”

 

“He wasn’t.” Was all the older Hamada male had to say. “I swear I won’t do it again.”

 

She gave him a small smile. “I know. But if you do, you’re grounded.”

 

He raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m twenty-one, but okay.”

 

“Well, I got a café to run, and donuts to stress eat.” She stood up and disappeared around the corner.

 

Tadashi sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hands over his face before he grabbed an apple scone from the plate.

 

(---)

 

Hiro tried to concentrate, really he did, but he had too much on his mind to do so.

 

“Hey, Hiro.” Honey Lemon greeted when she walked into the lab after lunch.

 

“Hi.” He half-assed a wave as he sat in his desk chair, not working on anything, just leaning as far back as the seat could go and staring at the ceiling.

 

“You look terrible.” Gogo’s voice cut through the air.

 

“That’s not nice, Gogo.” Hiro heard Honey scold her friend.

 

“Eh.” He could imagine the adrenaline junkie rolling her eyes.

 

“It’s true.” Hiro agreed, not looking away from the spot on the ceiling.

 

“What’s wrong little dude?” Fred bounced in to Hiro’s lab space when he heard the girls talking.

 

Hiro sighed. “Nothing, just not in a good mood today.” He lied. “Also not in a concentrating mood.” He sat back up, the chair creaking as it moved with him, and he glanced at the clock. “Shoot.” He hopped up, grabbing his bag and rushed out the door, barely getting a goodbye to his friends out before the door closed behind him. He hated it when he had a class after lunch, it was only once a week, but he somehow always ended up forgetting about it, having been able to schedule all his other classes before lunch.

 

“Hamada!” A voice called from behind him. “Wait up.”

 

He looked over his shoulder to see Gogo rushing after him. “I’m going to be late.”

 

She rolled her eyes. “Walking in thirty seconds late is not going to hurt you.”

 

“It will if Mr. Jones is your professor and he doesn’t let students into the class after the bell.”

 

“Oh, I forgot you had him.” She winced and fell into the quick walking pace Hiro had set.

 

Professor Jones was a kick-ass teacher; one of those rare ones who could actually teach you half the book in one class and explain it in plain English _and_ not talk ninety miles a minute. You could understand what he was talking about and take notes at the same time without really worrying that if you stopped to erase a stray letter or something, that you’d miss a very important note. But the professor was also one of the toughest when it came to grading and being prompt to class. If you messed up a test, you couldn’t retake it and he hardly gave out extra credit; when he did, you would rather have some kind of major organ ripped from you because it would be more fun and easier than the extra credit. If you were late to class, he wouldn’t let you in, only rare circumstances would he let someone enter after the bell; a teacher or officer worker would have to call explaining you were on your way to class with a note or some kind of key to the underworld.

 

“So, what’s going on?” She asked as they turned a corner, avoiding running into people.

 

“Nothing, just didn’t get much sleep last night.” He shrugged.

 

She shook her head. “While I can totally see that by the fact that you have not just bags, but luggage bags under your eyes, that’s not what’s bothering you, is it? I’ve seen you work on stuff for three days straight and still manage to stay awake during class.”

 

He sighed, adjusting his bag on his shoulders. “Just got in a fight with my brother last night. Not one of those little spats, but like a shouting match and woke up aunt Cass.”

 

Gogo turned to look at him. “And you didn’t sort it out?”

 

He shrugged. “Not really. I mean, apologies were said, but nothing’s really fixed. Can’t fix _that_ in a few hours time.” He furrowed his brow as he thought back to the night before.

 

“You haven’t told him yet, have you?” She asked, getting a sense that something happened that Hiro didn’t want to talk about but he couldn't help but think about it.

 

“Why is that the question everyone goes to?” Hiro asked to no one unparticular.

 

“I’m serious, Hiro. I don't know the extent of what you go through when you have those moments, but something he did is obviously bothering you today, and I have a hunch it wasn’t just a fight that’s on your mind.”

 

He huffed a breath. “I really don’t want to get into this.” He muttered as he stopped walking outside the lecture hall door. “And I have to go.” He disappeared through the threshold and out of Gogo’s sight.

 

(---)

 

Hiro trudged home after his lecture, not in the mood to hang around people anymore, the only thing running through his mind is that he should talk to Tadashi about everything; like how he _should have_ talked about this months and months ago.

 

He dropped his bag by the stairs leading up to his and his brother's room before marching over to the twenty-one year old typing away at his computer. Hiro roughly pulled the chair across from Tadashi out from underneath the table.

 

"We need to talk." His voice was soft, not matching his harsh actions.

 

Tadashi raised an eyebrow. "It seems to be the day for talks." He muttered more to himself than to his little brother. The taller of the two closed his laptop and leaned back in his chair. He had no idea what Hiro wanted to talk about, he was half hoping it wasn't anything having to do with how he'd been acting the last few weeks.

 

The younger plopped down in the chair and just looked at his brother for a moment, he didn't say anything, but he was trying to think how to start this conversation.

 

The former college student's eyebrow raised even further when Hiro didn't say anything. "Normally, when two people are going to have a talk, they verbalized their thoughts." He shifted in his chair when his brother continued to look at him.

 

"I'm trying to think how to start this conversation." The short teen finally said. "I tried to tell you this before, but uh, you weren't really here."

 

Tadashi leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table. "Um, what? If you needed to talk, I would drop everything and listen. When did I not?" He was utterly confused, he may have been moody and stupid the last few weeks, but he didn't recall Hiro saying he wanted to talk.

 

Wild hair bobbed as Hiro shook his head. "No, um, when you were- and I went to-" he stumbled over his words and waved his hands in the air before he got frustrated with himself. "When we thought you were gone, I sat there for almost a half hour talking to your headstone." He finally blurted out; he was done dancing around this subject. Tadashi had 'made a mistake' by running into the building, and while the young adult is now living with those consequences, he needed to know _exactly_ how Hiro felt, how Cass felt, how all their friends felt. But of course, everyone tried to block the situation out, they got Tadashi back, that's all that mattered now. "And it also took me a few minutes to sort words out because I was afraid to offend you if you could hear the one sided conversation."

 

Tadashi's expression slacked. "Oh." Was all he could say. He dropped his arms onto the table and leaned back against his chair again. "Oh." He breathed out when he saw Hiro's face, tears were welled up in brown eyes, his bottom lip was caught between his teeth as the teen tried to keep it from trembling. He wasn't looking at Tadashi anymore; his gaze had dropped to the table after the words were spoken.

 

"I don't mean for that to sound harsh, but seriously, I'm tired of tiptoeing around the subject." The young boy continued. "But that's not exactly what I want to talk about." He muttered as he glanced back up to his older brother.

 

"Okay," Tadashi whispered, surprised by the sudden little outburst. "Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

 

"Something I really should have talked about with you a long while ago." Hiro muttered. "Even Dr. Pat has repeatedly told me that I should have talked to you, and she just asked the other day if I had talked to you and I hadn't-" He stopped himself. "I have to quit rambling."

 

"You're fine." His older brother assured him.

 

"Don't, uh, don't take this the wrong way." The teen looked up at the young adult across from him. "You're, uh, the reason why I have anxiety." He broke eye contact again.

 

Tadashi felt a pang of hurt in his chest when he heard those words. "What?" How was he the reason his little brother had anxiety? Did he do something inadvertently? Had they done something as kids that struck fear in Hiro's mind?

 

"No, no, no, it's not something you did." The kid basically read the young adult's mind.

 

The heartbroken expression didn't leave the older one's face.

 

"I just always worry about you." Hiro continued softly. "I guess, even though I can't remember it, I guess mom and dad passing away kinda-" He didn't know the right word to say. "I don't want to say 'freaked me out' but yeah. And how when we talked about them forever ago, and you said that they were just out doing everyday things, it kinda freaked me out even more."

 

Tadashi stayed quiet as his brother spoke.

 

"And, I guess, subconsciously, I've always been afraid that something like that could happen to you. And then you had that car accident a few years ago and that just escalated it." The anxious teen's breath hitched, almost inaudible, Tadashi wouldn't have heard it if he weren't so close. "If something like that could happen to them just running errands and that happen to you and you weren't even five minutes away-" His words quit coming out, instead the tears that had been in his eyes before started to roll down his cheeks.

 

Before a single tear made its trek halfway down Hiro's face, Tadashi was up and around the table, pulling his little brother into a hug, scooting the teen over slightly so they were both on the same chair. He sighed into the wild mop of black hair as he tightened his hold. “Then I run off and do that.” Tadashi groaned more to himself than to Hiro. “I’m so sorry.”

 

“And it’s not making it any better when you try to self-medicate.” Hiro choked out, holding on to his brother’s arm, afraid to let go.

 

Tadashi’s heart broke even more. This was just so messed up; he’s screwed everything up so horribly bad. He was already regretting everything he did in the last few months, but now even more so - and he didn’t even think that was possible!

 

“Hiro, I’m so sorry.” He muttered the apology over and over into Hiro’s hair.

 

The younger fell quiet, not even listening to his older brother who just kept repeating an apology over and over softly. “Hey, I have a question.” He asked in a voice level slightly above a whisper.

 

“Hmm?” Tadashi rested his cheek against the top of his little brother’s head.

 

“What’s your favorite flower?”

 

  
The elder chuckled. “That’s a random question.” He pointed out. “But I like Poppys.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so as I mentioned a few chapters ago, I would start a third story in the series about Tadashi's time with Callaghan. And I did start it. Almost done with the first chapter and I was wondering: do you guys want me to post it when I get done with the first chapter, or wait until this story is finished? 
> 
>  
> 
> Hehe. There is a hidden meaning as to why I chose the Poppy as Tadashi's favorite flower. Look it up, dig a bit and maybe you'll find out why.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grammar is a bitch, BUT I think we are finally working through our problems. 
> 
> You guys, I just want to say, if you ever need someone to talk to, someone to vent to, you can always message me or find me on tumblr (luxwritestheavenue). I’m not the /best/ at giving advice, but I’m a damn good listener and every once in a while I can crack a joke to make you smile. No, there’s nothing sad in this chapter, nothing that needs a warning or anything, I just thought I’d let you all know I’m right here if you need someone.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Eighteen**

Tadashi was sitting in the living room, filling out a few more college transfer papers when the phone rang .He didn’t think twice when he saw an unknown number on the screen and answered it.

 

“Hamada residence.” He politely answered as he wrote down his address onto the form in front of him.

 

“Hello Tadashi.” A very familiar, very unwelcomed voice greeted back over the phone.

 

Said young man froze, pen falling from his grasp as his back straightened. Had he been born a dog, every strand of fur on his back would have been standing on end. He couldn’t respond to the voice, his mouth wasn’t cooperating with his brain – which wanted to tell the caller to never call again.

 

The other person chuckled almost darkly. “A little surprised I called?”

 

Tadashi still couldn’t respond, just dumbly sat there with the phone up to his ear. This was a voice he never wanted to hear again, from a person he never wanted to see again, a name he never wanted to hear mentioned again.

 

“That’s quite alright.” The caller continued. “I didn’t expect you to answer honestly. Would have thought you wouldn’t have answered a number you didn’t recognize. Weren’t you taught not to answer those kinds of calls?”

 

The Hamada male gripped the side of the chair in a death grip, trying to will his voice under his control. “What the hell do you want, Callaghan?” He finally rasped out. “ _I_ better not be charged for this phone call.” He almost growled.

 

“You’re not, I’ve got a card, which is also why you weren’t greeted with a collected call message when you picked up.” Robert Callaghan nonchalantly told his former student. “I just wanted to call and see how you were doing. Is it a _crime_ to wonder how you’re well being is?”

 

Tadashi could practically _feel_ the smirk when the middle-aged man said that. A shudder ran down Tadashi’s spine as the former professor continued to talk.

 

“I assume you’re doing well.” The man chuckled again; as if he _knew_ that was a lie and that he knew exactly what the young adult was going through. “But I thought it’d be _nice_ to call and check up on you.”

 

“Don’t call me again.” Tadashi _snarled_ into the phone. “Don’t call me, don’t call my family, and don’t call my friends.” He hung up and slammed the phone onto the receiver.

 

“What was that all about?” Cass asked as she came around the corner, just in time to catch her oldest nephew harshly hanging up the phone. She sat the grocery bag on the counter and began putting things away.

 

He didn’t directly answer her, instead choosing to mutter under his breath and neatly tidy up his papers.

 

“Tadashi?” She questioned when he walked past her.

 

“We need to change our numbers.” He mumbled and disappeared up the stairs. “I’m going to take a nap.”

 

She folded up her re-usable grocery bag and put it in the closet before making her way over to the phone her oldest just abused. Listening intently, she wanted to make sure he wasn’t moving around to come back down. When she didn’t hear anything he picked the phone up star sixty-nined and called the last incoming call.

 

She was greeted with an automated message.

 

“Hello. Thank you for calling the California State Penitentiary. If you are-” Cass hung up the phone, setting it gently back on it’s charger, pieces to the small puzzle started fitting together after she heard that.

 

(---)

 

_Tadashi leaned against the wall as he sat across from the door in The Room. The light was shut off and the young adult was once more in the silent dark._

_He was thankful back at home, he never really had a quiet moment; there was always some kind of noise. Either Hiro working on something late into the night, the window being open letting the noise from the street seep in, his aunt humming something as she tried out new recipes for the café, or even just Mochi getting into something or knocking something over. It was never silent. And he couldn’t wait for the possibility to go back and never have another silent moment._

_He was also thankful that Hiro, though the young would never ever admit to it, was slightly afraid of the dark so there was always some kind of nightlight in every room._

_To give himself something to do, something to take his mind away from the waiting and anxiety of finding out what was going to happen to him next, he would rhythmically drum his hand against his leg, or the floor or whatever his hand just happened to be resting against; to beats of his favorite songs, or Hiro’s, or Aunt Cass’s, or even to the scores of superhero movies Fred would always hum when he was in the lab._

_He was just in the middle of the Iron Man theme song when the door swung open. Tadashi jumped at the sudden action._

_Callaghan stood there, some kind of bottle in his hand, as he looked at his former student and he flipped the light on. “You’re going to help me with something.” His voice was kind of slurred. He stumbled a little as he made his way over to the twenty-one year old captive. Callaghan reached down and pulled Tadashi up by his shirt collar when the young man made no attempt to move._

_Other than slowly walking, Tadashi made no other attempt at resisting, his shoulder still aching from the scuffle a few_ hoursdaysweeks _ago, the concept of time was lost on him now._

_Now beside the former professor, he could clearly understand why Callaghan slurred and why he couldn’t walk in a straight line. The scent of alcohol hit Tadashi like a tidal wave, he was only walking next to the man and he could almost start looking for a lampshade to wear._

_They finally stopped walking when they reached a spacious room, similar to the size of a gym._

_“This is a portal from a project Krei,” Callaghan hissed the name between his teeth, “started years ago, Silent Sparrow they had called it.” He motioned to the almost put together circular machine. “I’m having issues rewiring it and programming it.”_

_Tadashi gave the vengeful man a look. He remembered reading something about the project when he was younger. It was supposed to be a teleportation machine. It had worked when they would toss different objects into one portal and a few seconds later they came out the other one. Then something went wrong when they were demonstrating it to a group of government officials. The pilot got lost in between the two portals, some kind of margin number was off or miscalculated; one portal exploded, the other started pulling things into it before it was shut down and destroyed._

_“And just what do you want_ me _to do about it?” Tadashi snapped, already knowing what Callaghan wanted him to do._

_Callaghan turned to look at the young man beside him. “I’ve seen your coding, and your wiring. I want you to fix it.”_

_He had a feeling that what he was about to say was going to land himself in deep trouble. “No.” Tadashi simply stated as he felt himself tighten up, ready for some kind of physical violence that seemed to happen whenever he tried to refuse to fix something. “This was shut down for a reason.”_

_He was expecting Callaghan to punch him or push him closer to the portal; he wasn’t prepared for Callaghan to slam him against a wall and press an arm harshly against his throat._

_“I am in no mood for these little games you try to play, mister Hamada.” The teacher growled. Callaghan was smarter this time, standing off to the side to avoid being kicked when Tadashi tried to get the arm off his airway._

_“Too bad.” The twenty-one year old managed to rasp out, sound barley making past his lips. He tried his damn hardest to pry, to pull, to push the offending appendage off of him as spots danced in his vision – even though his eyes weren’t open anymore._

_Tadashi could smell the alcohol on Callaghan’s breath when he spoke next. “It’s not up to you. You’re either going to fix the codes and wires,” He paused for a moment, loosening his hold on the former student as Callaghan pulled something out of his pocket, in one swift movement, he had the object out of his pocket, opened and pressed against the underside of Tadashi’s jaw._

_Tadashi didn’t even have to see what it was when he felt the cold metal pressed against his skin, dangerously close to an artery._

_“Or I could just end your miserable existence.” Callaghan muttered darkly into the petrified male’s ear._

_Too bad his brain and his mouth weren’t on the same page. “Then you’d have to do this on your own.” Tadashi stupidly mumbled._

_The chuckle that the former professor let out made chills run down the Hamada’s spine, and somehow, even more fear crept into the young adult’s bones. “Ran into your little brother and your friends yesterday.” The man spoke in a way that was so calm, as if they were chatting over coffee._

_The robotics student saw this conversation going two ways; one way would be hanging Hiro’s life over his head to get Tadashi to fix the portal; or getting Hiro in there and holding Tadashi’s life above the young teen’s head. Both were not good scenarios._

_“You’re brother is very annoying, don’t you agree?” Callaghan continued._

_Tadashi finally cracked his eyes open to look at the demented man next to him. “Nope.”_

_That raised an eyebrow on the drunken middle-aged man. “Really? You, an older brother do not find your younger sibling annoying?”_

_Of course Tadashi did. All younger siblings annoy their older sibling, its in the handbook; just like being protective of the younger is in the older’s handbook. But Tadashi wasn’t going to agree with a crazy man! “Nope.” He repeated, voice surprisingly strong and unwavering despite his growing fear._

_“Hmm.” The man hummed. “That’s different. Anyway, you can either fix this portal,” He flicked the pocketknife to point at the broken machine before pressing it back to the young man’s neck. “Or you’ll be going home in a body bag.” He pressed the weapon a little harder into the soft flesh beneath the sharp edge._

_For a moment, as cliché as it was, Tadashi swore his life flashed before his eyes. And the look Hiro had given him as he pulled out of the fourteen year old’s grasp was the last thing to flash through his mind before Tadashi decided to take the crazy train._

 

Tadashi woke up shaking from his nap, rolled up in his blankets. He kicked himself free, not wanting to be constricted at the moment before he realized it was dark out. He took a deep breath, noticing the fact that it hitches multiple times before he can calm himself, but couldn’t stop the tears rolling down his face.

 

Out of new habit, he blindly reached over to grab his medicine and was greeted with nothing but air. He almost freaked out about that on top of the freak out he was already experiencing before he remembered he declared he wasn’t going to take the prescription anymore and let his aunt keep the bottle. She had told him at some point, that if he did _actually need_ to take one, she’d give it to him, but she was to be the holder of the bottle.

 

He took another deep breath as he scrubbed at his eyes and stood up from bed. He quietly made his way out of his little corner and into the open space of the room. He looked over at his brother to see that the bed was empty. For a heart pounding moment, he almost freaked out, until he heard Hiro’s voice downstairs mixing with their aunt’s, no doubt in some kind of conversation.

 

“I’m going to bed, night Aunt Cass.” Hiro declared, his voice becoming a little louder the closer he got to the stairs.

 

Tadashi immediately started harshly rubbing at his eyes, trying to feign that he was just rubbing them awake and hide that fact that he woke up crying.

 

“Oh, hey Tadashi.” Hiro quietly greeted when he saw his older brother standing there.

 

“Hi.” The elder faked a yawn as he walked past Hiro, ruffling the younger’s hair in an attempt of anchoring himself into the present, to assure that he was indeed standing in his room with his brother.

 

Hiro swatted at the hand. “My hair!” He childishly yelped.

 

A small chuckle came from the frazzled man before he continued walking toward the stairs.

 

“Hey.” Cass greeted when she saw her eldest. She turned back to hand stirring something in a mixing bowl.

 

“Hi.” He faked another yawn and rubbed at his eyes again.

 

“Do you want your medicine?” She saw right through his lie.

 

He shook his head. “I’m not a good liar, am I?”

 

She shook her head. “You don’t have much practice at it.” She tried to joke, but could see it in his eyes, he wasn’t in the joking mood.

 

He walked over to her. “What are you doing?”

 

“Working on a new pastry recipe.” She told him.

 

He looked at the piece of paper taped to the cabinet door, a recipe for stuffed brownies was scribbled out. “That looked like its diabetes in a pan.” He commented when he saw just what would be going into the brownies.

 

“Probably.” Cass shrugged.

 

“Need any help?” He asked.

 

“Sure.” She pointed to some ingredients sitting next to the microwave. “You can start making the glaze for it.”

 

“There’s going to be a glaze on top?” He gave her a look. “Gonna hand out tooth brushes with all this sugar?”

 

They fell into a silence as the two mixed everything together, both content to just do that for a while.

 

They stayed in the kitchen while the brownies were in the oven, Cass having to keep stirring the glaze as it was heated up on the stovetop.

 

“What’s wrong?” She finally asked.

 

He sighed as he hopped up to sit on the counter top. He really didn’t want to talk about it, but he had mentally told himself that he would start.  So he does; he tells her about the nightmare he just had, and she stands there quietly when he fumbles over the words when he gets to a particularly emotional moment, which was most of the story, but doesn’t do anything to hurry him along as he rambles.

 

When he reaches the end of what he wanted to tell her, he’s shaking worse than when he woke up. She forgets about the glaze she’d been stirring for the past fifteen minutes in favor of hugging her traumatized nephew.

 

He hugs her back, tight, holding back the tears that threaten to fall from his eyes.

 

“I wish you would start talking to us.” She softly said.

 

He pulled away from the hug and looked away from her. “I don’t want to annoy you guys with my problems. It’d be a burden.”

 

She thumped him on the forehead.

 

He blinked at her.

 

“We’re a family; you don’t _have_ to go through everything, keep everything to yourself.” She told him. “Family is there to lean on, so you better start using us as a crutch.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll get through this. Together. As a family.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And no, Tadashi's not going to abuse a flower. I had googled "Manly Flowers" the other day when I was trying to pick a flower for him to like and Spike had a whole 'top ten list' of the manliest flowers' and Poppy was number two; "Since Ancient Greek and Roman times the poppy has come to symbolize sleep, death, and the idea of resurrection after death...."   
> The fact everyone thought he was dead - held a funeral and everything and X amount of time later find out he wasn't dead....


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t Own.   
> Would it be ‘laid’ or ‘lay’? That’s my current Grammar predicament.

**We’re Okay**

 

**Chapter Nineteen**

 

 

“He called today.” Tadashi suddenly broke the silence that had fallen over the air in the kitchen, Cass having gone back to stirring the glaze, was just pulling the pan off the stove.

 

She sadly nodded. “I figured as much.” She admitted. She grabbed a hot pad and opened the oven to pull the first attempt at stuffed brownies out of the oven. “I called back the number.”

 

He kicked his legs a little as they dangled over the side of the counter. “Sorry I didn’t tell you.”

 

She shrugged. “It’s fine, I already called the phone company and changed the home phone, we’re changing out cell phones later tomorrow.” She told him. “Was going to change them earlier today, but I figured I’d wait a little bit, you’re still waiting to hear back from that college.”

 

He nodded. “Pretty excited for that.” He changed the subject slightly. “Was digging further on their website and their class sizes are so small, I think the most I was in one class was twenty – not including lectures.”

 

Cass smiled. “That’s good.” She started cutting the giant brownie in the pan up into smaller pieces, setting them on plates. “Are you sure this is what you want to do though?” She gave him a sideways look. “You worked so hard to get into _that_ school, I’d hate for you to give it up.”

 

He sighed. He really did hate having to give it up; and he _did_ work hard to get into SFIT. He had stayed up for weeks and weeks working on his entrance project – having missed the deadline for the annual showcase when he was applying, he could only rely on the actual project he had to make to be considered to work it’s magic and get him in. A smaller, not-really-working version of Baymax was his project. While it didn’t really work, the admissions panel saw the spark in Tadashi’s eye and the promise that the project could be made into an actual working thing – he just needed access to the right pieces and parts.

 

“I know.” He softly said. “I, uh, went there the other night.”

 

She stopped cutting the dessert and turned toward him, but didn’t say anything.

 

“I’m sure I don’t want to go back.” He pulled a leg up to his chest and leaned his head on his knee and continued to watch his aunt work.

 

She knew by the tone of voice he used, that he didn’t want to elaborate further on how he came to that decision. “When do you think you’ll hear from them?” She continued talking about the little community college.

 

He shrugged. “Soon, I hope.” He watched Cass grabbed two small plates and placed a brownie on each of them then drizzle the glaze on top in an artistic way. “Here.” She handed a plate to him and snatched two forks from the drying rack. “Try this.”

 

He gave the sugar-covered sugar a look before he took a small bite. “Ow.”

 

“What?” Cass looked shocked for a moment.

 

“I think I got a cavity just now.” He mumbled with his mouthful of brownie. 

 

She elbowed him gently. “Scare me!” She laughed.

 

“It’s good though.” Tadashi told her.

 

(---)

 

He wasn’t able to get back to sleep, so he settled for puttering around in their makeshift lab.

 

He was just tinkering with an old remote control car he had built when he was younger and was just getting into robotics when a wire gave him a small shock.

 

“Ow! Shit.” He muttered to himself, pulling his hurt finger away from the wires.

 

He heard a _beepbeepbeep_ and the familiar sound of something inflating before he realized Baymax was with him.

 

“Hello, I am Baymax.” Was the greeting the white vinyl covered healthcare companion said as he stepped off his charger. “Hello, Tadashi.” The former SFIT project customized the greeting further. “I heard a sound of distress. What seems to be the problem?”

 

Tadashi raised an eyebrow. He had programmed Baymax to automatically scan the patient, not ask _what seems to be the problem_. “Uh,” The only thing he could get out, too confused to say anything else.

 

“I will scan you now.” The robot announced. He gave Tadashi a once over. “You seem to have experienced a minor electrical shock to your finger. I suggest a topical antibiotic ointment to the affected area.” Baymax pointed his finger toward Tadashi’s hand wanting to apply said ointment to the small area.

 

“It’s fine, Baymax. Thank you anyway.” Tadashi tried to scoot way from the robot, still being assaulted by memories.

 

The robot pulled its hand away and tilted his head to the side. “You appear to be frightened by me. Did I do something to cause you discomfort?”

 

Wow, he really did make Baymax considerate.

 

(---)

 

Hiro couldn’t get to sleep after he lay in bed for about an hour after having eavesdropped on his brother and aunt. He knew he shouldn’t have listened because Tadashi had mentioned to him that the elder didn’t want Hiro to know just what he went through, but he listened anyway.

 

Had someone asked Hiro right after he met Callaghan if Hiro thought the professor was capable of hurting someone, wanting to kill someone, the teen would have answered ‘no’. But now, that would be a definite ‘yes’. So it really didn’t surprise him when he heard Tadashi quietly talking to his aunt about what the older man did.

 

Hiro sighed ad flung the blanket off his body before getting up and heading down toward the lab. He stopped just shy of where the corner of the wall was halfway down the stairs to the garage when he heard his brother’s voice.

 

“It’s fine, Baymax. Thank you anyway.” Tadashi’s quiet voice filled the air.

 

There was a pause of response from Baymax. “You appear to be frightened by me. Did I do something to cause you discomfort?”

 

A confused looked passed Hiro’s face. Was Tadashi afraid of Baymax? Was that why the young adult hasn’t so much as glanced toward his own creation without some sort of probing from either Hiro or Cass?

 

Tadashi let out a forced laugh. “It’s nothing _you_ did, Baymax.” His voice was low.

 

“Is there something I can do to make it better?” The robot questioned, not liking his patient, his _creator_ , to be afraid of him.

 

“There’s nothing you can do, buddy.” The young adult replied softly.

 

Hiro sat as quietly as he could on the stairs, he wasn’t going to interrupt this conversation, but he sure as hell wasn’t leaving.

 

The teen could hear a chair creak, probably from his brother leaning back in it.

 

“Something someone else could do, perhaps?” The healthcare companion continued.

 

Tadashi didn’t give a verbal response.

 

“I will scan you again.” Baymax stated.

 

“What? No.” Tadashi suddenly said, a little louder than he had been talking prior.

 

Baymax was quiet for a few seconds. “Scan complete.”

 

A huff was the only thing the twenty-one year old replied with.

 

“You appear to be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.” Baymax stated the obvious.

 

Hiro heard his older brother scoff. “I already know that, Baymax.”

 

“I suggest talking to friends and loved ones, someone you can trust, and or a licensed counselor.” The robot continued.

 

“I know that too.” Tadashi muttered in annoyance.

 

“Have you not tried it?” The robot pushes on.

 

Hiro hears the chair’s wheels roll against the floor, signally that his brother had stood up, and forcefully by the sounds of how fast the chair seemed to roll away. And for a fleeting second, Hiro thought Tadashi was going to climb up the stairs.

 

“Yes, I’ve tried it.” Tadashi’s voice comes from the opposite end of the lab from where Hiro was.

 

The healthcare robot turned superhero is quiet for a moment. “The changes in blood flow in key areas of your brain signify that you are lying.”

 

Hiro holds his breath, never realizing that Baymax could detect, well attempt to,  when someone was lying.

 

Tadashi must have been flabbergasted as well. “H-how did you know that?”

 

“Scanned you using an fMRI.” Baymax stated.

 

Hiro couldn’t hold it any longer and stumbled down the stairs. “What’s an fMRI?” He asked the robot before Tadashi could, who was still standing in the corner of the lab with a confused look on his face.

 

“A fMRI machine is like a regular MRI machine that connects to a program and uses mathematical formulas, manipulating pictures MRIs take.” Baymax turned toward the younger Hamada. “I scan everything and use a similar approach.”

 

Hiro looked over at the elder. “So you really haven’t tried to talk through it.”

 

The older brother sent his robot a small glare. “I’m satisfied with my care, Baymax.” He muttered before answering his little brother. He sighed. “Not technically, no.”

 

Hiro sat on the edge of the couch they had down there. “Now, why is it, when something bothers us, albeit, it’s not like what you’re going through, you tell us to talk to someone, that it would make us feel better.” He began. “Why don’t you follow through with that?”

 

The eldest Hamada male looked away.

 

Hiro shook his head. “That’s what I thought.” He softly mumbled more to himself than to Tadashi.

 

“You have no idea-” Tadashi stopped himself from finishing that sentence with a shake of his head.

 

Brown eyes glanced over to the taller male on the opposite side of the room. “Maybe I would if-” He also cut himself off; he didn’t need to make his brother feel worse about the subject than the other was no doubt already feeling. He took in a breath and released it after a few seconds. “I just, I miss my brother, ‘Dashi.”

 

Tadashi’s gaze snapped back to Hiro. “I’m right here.” He gestured to himself with a puzzled look.

 

Hiro shook his head in disagreement. “No, not really. Yeah, you’re standing right there, but you’re not all here.” The fourteen year old said. “And I honestly don’t expect all of you to come back, but-” He shrugged.

 

The elder pinched the bridge of his nose, getting the point as to what Hiro meant; and the kid was right. Tadashi’s not all there, would probably never be all there. But he wasn’t trying very hard to get at least a sense of his old-self back. “I know.” His words came out muffled as he ran his hand down his face, a habit he seemed to hold on to when he got frustrated or annoyed. “I know, I know. I’m sorry.”

 

Hiro shrugged. ‘I’m sorry’ were just empty words that hung in the air when someone messed up and was just trying to cover themselves. “I don't want you to _be sorry_.” He softly spoke. “I just want you to get better.” He admitted. He scuffed his foot against the floor of the garage, looking away from Tadashi’s hurt-filled eyes. He didn’t hear the other walk over to him until Hiro was being wrapped in a hug.

 

“I will.” Tadashi gently said, sitting on the couch next to Hiro, who was still on the arm. “It’s just going to take some time.”

 

Hiro turned to look at his older brother who suddenly seemed so much older, but that was probably the bags under the elder’s eyes and the way he was holding himself at the moment – tiredly and slouched against the back of the couch; Tadashi looked so much older than twenty-one. “I’m serious. I’m worried about you, we’re _all_ worried about you; and you don’t seem to be trying to help yourself – in a good way, a legal way.” He paused when he realized the tables had practically turned.

 

“This conversation seems very familiar.” Tadashi commented, seeming to have the same thought.

 

Hiro forced out a little chuckle. “Déjà vu?”

 

A small smile was on Tadashi’s face for a fleeing moment. “Yeah.” Then it was gone and replaced with a contemplating frown. “Yeah.” He repeated more slowly.

 

“If you felt this way when I was bot-fighting, I really, seriously, apologize for those heart attacks.” Hiro mumbled.

 

The other met Hiro’s eyes. “And I’m sorry for yours.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooo I just thought of the BEST FUCKING PLOT TWIST EVER.   
> Like seriously? I just did the best evil laugh.  
> And I don’t know how you all will feel about it.   
> But Imma do it anyway!


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehehehehehehehe. And the plot twist begins. 
> 
> Have you ever thought of a twist that was so unbelievably awesome you couldn't help but /evilly/ laugh? Like, multiple time a day? When ever you thought about it? 
> 
> I have done that multiple times a day for the past few days when I decided on this.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Twenty**

“There you are.” Cass greeted when she saw Tadashi walking through the café. “I was wondering where you went.” She gave him a smile, noticing that he was walking through the café, in the middle of the day no less. “Whatcha got there?” She asked, noting his was holding some kind of folder.

 

He chuckled lightly. “Silly putty.” He opened his hand, the one not holding the folder, and revealed blue silly putty.

 

Cass raised an eyebrow. “That’s not the hand I meant, but now I’m kind of concerned as to why you’re holding silly putty.”

 

“Was playing with it before I left and forgot to leave it here.” He leaned against the counter. “Came in handy though.” He laid the folder down in front of her, a logo for the San Fransokyo State Community College on the front looked up at her. “My completed, and _accepted_ , transfer papers.”

 

“It’s done?” She asked, a soft smile on her face. She peeled off her plastic gloves and flipped open the folder.

 

“Yep. I start in two weeks. Classes are three times a week and lab is the other two days.” He told her.

 

“That’s great!” She leaned over the counter and hugged him tight, the side of said counter digging into both of them.

 

“What’s great?” A voice came from behind Cass.

 

She let go and spun around to face her youngest nephew then shot a look at Tadashi, as if silently telling the older Hamada male to go talk with Hiro about it, since it was a very touchy and testy subject between the brothers.

 

Tadashi sighed, getting the silent message, grabbed his folder and motioned for Hiro to follow him upstairs.

 

“Okay, what’s up?” The fourteen year old asked when the two were out of earshot of the café.

 

The older brother hesitated for a moment, until he got to the top of the stairs. “I, uh, just came back from signing up for classes at the community college a few blocks over.” He tossed the folder onto the table next to where Hiro was standing.

 

Hiro, while he looked at Tadashi with an indifferent expression, _glared_ at the folder on the table as if the papers inside just lied to him. “Oh.” His soft muttering contrasted with the death-causing look.

 

“Yeah,” Tadashi almost nervously said. “Classes start in two weeks.” He mumbled, concerned on how Hiro would react, basing it on past experience on the subject.

 

The younger brother was quiet for a moment before practically forcing a smile. “Well that’s good.” He looked over a Tadashi, whom had a brow raised.

 

“I’m pretty excited.” The twenty-one year old sort of shrugged as he watched his brother.

 

“Well, I gotta go, I have a few things I have to work on. Oh, hey, everyone was wondering if they could hang out tonight.” Hiro mentioned, pulling his book bag over his shoulder.

 

“I don’t see why not, but you might want to check with Aunt Cass first.” Tadashi told him.

 

“’Kay!” The teen rushed out the door, leaving a very confused older brother behind.

 

Tadashi looked around for a moment. “That was weird.” He said aloud to the empty space.

 

(---)

 

“So, you took silly putty to your college meeting?” Cass asked when she went upstairs for her break.

 

Tadashi jumped, not expecting her to be there suddenly. “Don’t scare me!” He chuckled. “Yeah. I had it in my hand when I answered the phone, and just forgot to put it down when I left. Glad I took it though.” He trailed off. He had a panic attack when he walked in and was instantly greeted by loud noises echoing off the walls in the lobby of the school, and how many people were walking around him.

 

She sat a plate of cookies on the coffee table in front of her oldest nephew. “Have a cookie.”

 

Tadashi shook his head but grabbed a chocolate chip cookie anyway. “Another cavity.”

 

Cass snickered and rolled her eyes. “So, how did Hiro take it?”

 

“Forcefully good.” He told her, his mouth full of cookie. “Easy to tell he wasn’t happy about it.”

 

She gave an almost sad smile. “But he’s trying.”

 

Tadashi nodded; he just wishes Hiro wasn’t putting on a façade about it.

 

(---)

 

“Everyone will be here in a little bit.” Hiro stated as he walked into the empty café, which was closed for the night. He sat his notebook on a table close to the counter.

 

“Good, you guys can test out my second trial of stuffed brownies!” Cass smiled as she stood at the stove in the back room stirring, once again, glaze for the top.

 

Tadashi came down the stairs and took one look at the stovetop pan. “Again?” Was all he asked as he walked on by and out into the actual café.

 

“Gotta perfect it!” His aunt smiled. “Don’t want to be serving horrible brownies to the people of San Fransokyo, now do we?”

 

Tadashi had a blank expression as he looked at his aunt. “Dentists are going to love them.”

 

She had no response to that other than to laugh.

 

The bell above the door rang, signaling it’s open.

 

“Hey.” Honey Lemon’s voice greeted as everyone walked in, locking the door behind them.

 

“Hey guys!” Cass poked her head around the doorway from the back room.

 

“Hi Aunt Cass!” Fred waved.

 

“Are we playing Monopoly?” Wasabi joked taking a seat across from Hiro.

 

“NO!” Everyone seemed to yell at the same time.

 

“I don’t think our friendship can last another game like that.” Gogo gave him a look.

 

“You’re just scared I’ll beat you all again.” The tallest male stated simply with a shrug.

 

Fred pulled a chair up from one of the tables that was nearby. “We should have another game night though. Those are fun.”

 

“Ohh maybe next week!” Honey suggested.

 

“Definitely after finals.” The shorter female agreed as she tried to blow her hair out of her face.

 

Half an hour later for the group eating Cass’s second trial of her stuffed brownies and flipping through the TV channels, not being able to find anything interesting on, they settled on the news.

 

Until a female anchor appeared on the screen, standing in front of the city hall building in the heart of San Fransokyo, the window blowing her hair in her face.

 

_“Trial is officially set for Robert Callaghan, former San Fransokyo Institute of Technology robotics professor-”_  

 

Everyone scrambled to grab the remote from the middle of the table to turn the channel or turn the television off all together. The second the screen went blank and the speakers were quiet, an awkward silence fell around them.

 

“So, uh, what about Krei?” Tadashi asked, trying to break up the uncomfortable atmosphere, but wasn’t doing a very good job at it.

 

“What about Krei?” Gogo asked, leaning her head in her hand on the tabletop, a puzzled look written all over her.

 

“Isn’t he on trial too?” The oldest Hamada male had a confused expression.

 

Honey gave him a glance. “Why would he be on trial too?” She tucked the hair that had fallen forward in the slight scuffle for the remote back in its place behind her ear.

 

Tadashi sat up and tilted his head. “Because they were in on it together.” He trailed off. “You guys didn’t know that?” He finished quietly, searching their faces.

 

Everyone was silent for a moment, looking at Tadashi like he just sprouted wings or something before they all shrieked. “What?!” Somehow, the group of superheroes was on the same page and all jumped up at the same time, nearly knocking chairs over in their haste to do something.

 

“Are you sure?” Fred asked.

 

“Either that or his doppelganger or someone that looks _just_ like him hung around a lot.” The shortest haired male told them.

 

“Why didn’t you say something before?” Wasabi almost yelled.

 

Tadashi shrugged. “I was under the impression you guys knew. You had Callaghan locked up, I just assumed you knew.”

 

Cass stood off to the side, having no idea how to contribute to the conversation. She had known what the group was up to now and days, the whole superheroing ordeal, Hiro had told her shortly after Callaghan’s arrest. While the aunt didn’t like him, or any of them honestly, doing that, she much rather Hiro actually tell her about this and where he’d be going, what would be going on, than have him sneaking out in the middle of the night. God forbid something would happen to him and she’d probably never fully know.

 

She watched as everyone threw questions at Tadashi who was just as oblivious to their questions as they were to the fact that Krei was somehow involved.

 

“Okay, wait, wait, wait.” Wasabi stated, trying to calm and quiet everyone down. “How is he a part of this?”

 

Tadashi leaned back in his chair. “Him and Callaghan both wanted to steal the Microbots, different motives but for the same outcome. Then they decided to work together.” He simply said.

 

No one said anything, just looked at the oldest Hamada brother.

 

“Okay, now I’m uncomfortable.” He muttered looking away from everyone; and missed the look the team gave each other.

 

(---)

 

“That,” Tadashi began after his friends and little brother along with Baymax left. “That did not go well.” He muttered to his aunt who stood next to him. “And you’re completely okay with this?” He waved his arms around in the direction of the garage.

 

She shrugged. “No. I’m not okay with it.”

 

“B-but you just let him go off and fly around the city and fight people?” He continued to press. He knew, he _knew_ of Hiro’s heroing pastime, but he never witnessed the younger leaving to go kick someone’s ass, that he _knew_ of.

 

She shook her head. “I don’t like it, and I don't _want_ to let him go off.” Cass started as she sat herself in one of the café chairs. “But, you know him, he’ll just run off and do whatever. He did that after, um, after the fire and everything. For weeks I didn’t know where he was going. I’d ask him where he’d been and he’d beat around the bush with only half a truth saying he was with the gang.” She held up a plate of donuts she planned on stress eating out to her oldest nephew.

 

He shook his head, obviously still anxious about the whole thing.

 

“He told me what he’d been up too after they got Callaghan locked up.” She was too busy making sure the plate was placed back on the table to see Tadashi visibly cringe. “He explained everything, had everyone show me everything. And to be honest, I told him I didn’t like him, any of them, doing that.”

 

“Then tell them to stop! Ground Hiro or something!” Tadashi paced around the table and over to the counter then back.

 

Green eyes rolled in slight amusement; Tadashi’s ‘big-brother-protectiveness’ was showing. “And how long do you think that would work?”

 

Tadashi stopped and looked at her. “Long enough for me to hide all his tools and stuff.”

 

“Honey, sit down.” She gently grabbed his arm when he passed her for the umpteenth time. She pushed a chair out with her foot and let go of him when he actually listened. “I don’t like it. But I’d much rather know where he was going, what he’d be doing, how long he’d think it take than for him to run off not letting me know where he was going, something happen to them and not know a single detail to help them out or find them.” She explained.

 

“I don’t like it.” The Hamada male huffed. “I still say you can ground him, and I can hide his tools. And his suits obviously. Then have a long talk with everyone.” He tried to mentally visualize how that would go. Probably not well.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want a donut?” Cass offered again, grabbing one for herself.

 

He looked at the plate for a second before reaching for one.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The twist is actually part of my headcanon.


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really really really sorry I haven’t updated in a long while. I was going through some stuff, then my cat passed away, then I had to go to my great grandpa’s 90th birthday…. Enough excuses. 
> 
> But WOW! This story is /almost/ done. Haha, then the next one starts (and then maybe a fourth one, still on the fence about that)…. Are you guys tired of this series yet? (Please don’t answer that, I have a feeling you guys are and when you say that you are, it’ll make me sad.)

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

 

Hiro was seeing red again, but not so much so that he couldn’t see straight, that he couldn’t think straight. He was actually seeing more of a pink or an orange than full total red at the moment as he held on to the back of Baymax. They were originally partially right, when they originally thought that Krei was the Kabuki Masked guy. They just thought that they were wrong and that they only had to deal with Callaghan.

 

The fourteen year old sighed. They should have investigated a little more, a little longer. Maybe, had they of done that, maybe they would have discovered Tadashi sooner, quicker, and not had left him to fend for himself against two nut job psychopaths!

 

“Now, we’re not doing anything stupid, right?” Honey’s voice came over the headset.

 

“You don’t have that evil chip again, do you Hiro?” Gogo piped up.

 

“First of all, we’re flying around San Fransokyo on a healthcare companion robot, the stupid ship has sailed. But we’re not hurting anyone.” Hiro huffed. Why is it, you make one mistake in the heat of a moment of pure unadulterated anger, and nobody every fully lets you live it down? “No, I threw that chip away after I broke it.” He assured everyone.

 

“So, uh,” Wasabi’s high-pitched frightened voice rang in everyone’s ears as he tried to adjust his hold on Baymax’s arm. “What’s _this_ plan? We need to have a plan this time.”

 

Fred nodded in agreement, even though nobody saw. “We can’t just rush in like last time, who knows, Krei could be waiting for us.” He wasn’t playing around as Baymax held on to him this time, the atmosphere around the group was much more serious than last time they went off in a huff like they were at the moment.

 

“Just waiting to strike like the snake he is.” Gogo muttered to herself, though everyone could hear her.

 

Hiro didn’t say anything else except for asking Baymax to scan for Krei; they weren’t going to wait around for him to show up somewhere. They were taking care of this now.

 

“My scanner indicated he is at his new building site.” Baymax’s voice rang through their helmets. “Should I notify law enforcements?”

 

“Well then, let’s go.” Hiro muttered just soft enough for no one to hear. His grip on Baymax tightened a bit, as they turned slightly to head in the right direction.

 

Gogo nodded at that. “Yeah, Baymax let them know.”

 

“But seriously,” Wasabi’s voice came through the static in the headsets, “what’s the plan?”

 

“Any ideas?” Fred tagged his question on, for once he didn’t have any ideas, never in his comic books did something like this pop up. The villains were always out in the open once you knew who to look for, and anyone associated with the antagonist were just as clear as day.

 

“No.” Honey and Hiro both said in unison.

 

Gogo sighed, looks like she’s going to have to think of something. “How about we walk up to him and confront him, like, talking about it first. See if we can get him to admit anything before we go Bonaduce on his ass.” She suggested.

 

Honey nodded toward her shorter friend. “I agree with that.”

 

Wasabi tried to press himself into Baymax’s arm more, his fear of heights and one of his hands slipping startled him. “Not much of a plan, but more than we had last time.” He mumbled into the red armor in front of his face.

 

(---)

 

It didn’t take them long to arrive at the site of the new, new Krei Tech campus.

 

There wasn’t really anybody there, just a few construction workers packing up for the day.

 

The team landed right in front of the massive skeletal of the future building, the framework being the only thing put together. They didn’t have to wait for very long before the man they came to see approached them.

 

“Ah, Big Hero 6.” Krei smiled, oblivious to their reason for being there. “Do what do I owe the please of you guys dropping in?” He asked, an overly big smile on his face, his assistant three steps behind him, as always.

 

The team shared a look with each other before landing the look on Hiro, one that told him to go ahead and start the conversation.

 

Hiro took a small step back, to lean against Baymax, feeling slightly more comfortable and safe when all he’d have to do to hide behind said robot, is turn a little. He really didn’t want to be the one to initiate this conversation.

 

Gogo placed a hand on Hiro’s shoulder.

 

He looked up at her and gave a small almost nodding motion with his head, trying to get her to talk instead.

 

She gave a little squeeze before turning back to the older male standing before all of them. “We have a question for you.” Her voice was filled with authority and almost demanding.

 

Krei raised an eyebrow. “Alright.” He folded his hands behind his back as he waited patiently. He looked between each of the members who seemed to all be looking at Hiro, who was suddenly very shy about the situation.

 

The short female gave a sigh and continued on, her body language becoming rigid as the thoughts of the man in front of her having some part in hurting one of her best friends and mentally scaring the brothers. She crossed her arms across her chest. “Were you, in any way, involved with the fire?”

 

The others in the team looked away from Hiro and practically glared at the tech guru.

 

Krei’s face was showed nothing but indifference as he sent a glance over to his assistant, who started to secretly type something in to her tablet that was hidden behind the clipboard in her hands. The group of college students didn’t even notice.

 

A smug look crossed the older man’s face for a moment before he reigned it in and feigned innocent. “The fire at the school? Months ago? No, I didn’t have something to do with it.” He met each of their eyes as he spoke.

 

Baymax took note of the changes of blood flow in Krei as he scanned the man. “My sensors indicate that you are lying.” The robot announced to everyone standing there.

 

Everyone but Hiro looked surprised the former college project could detect that.

 

Krei was starting to fidget where he stood. He didn’t expect Baymax to be able to tell that sort of thing. “W-what?” He nervously stammered out, instantly giving away the fact that he was lying.

 

“How did he know that?” Honey Lemon questioned indirectly, not really expecting a response.

 

Hiro smirked. “He used a system scan similar to how one would use an fMRI.” He turned his attention back to Krei, feeling a little less nervous, for some unknown reason. “So, wanna try that answer again?”

 

Krei rolled his eyes and looked at his assistant again, this time not even bothering trying to his the fact that he was looking at her, and nodded.

 

In the distance, and coming closer, everyone could hear the sounds of police cars speeding towards the campus.

 

There was a clatter of grinding and crunching metal caught the team’s attention and they looked to the side of them. A great big construction truck suddenly started moving and unfolding and refolding into a different shape.

 

“Whoa!” Fred gave a wicked smile. “It’s like a Transformer!”

 

Gogo punched his shoulder in an agitated manner, not enough to hurt but with enough force to get her point across. “Not the time, Freddie!” She closed the visor of her helmet as Hiro got on the back of Baymax and everyone else got into a battle stance.

 

This was going to be a lot harder than they thought.

 

(---)

 

Tadashi had moved down into the garage-lab once he decided he was done ‘stress eating’. He sighed as he flopped down on the beat up couch they had down there and turned one of the computers onto a news channel; having been able to connect it to their satellite dish ages ago, they were able to watch TV on the computer.

 

But he immediately wished he hadn’t turned it on.

 

His brother, his robot, his friends and Krei and some kind of weird robot thing were fighting, literally actually fighting with rocket fists and flying and fire and explosions. He knew it was them, even though he couldn’t see his friends and brother’s faces, but he had seen their suits that one night weeks and weeks ago when he gave them all a communal mass heart attack when he scared them all; and he recognized them.

 

“Oh this is bad.” He muttered to himself as he dashed upstairs to his aunt, who had the same news channel on, but was paying little mind to it as she was writing something down. “You seriously allow this?” He gave a grand motion to the television set with his hands.

 

She sighed and put the pen down. “Didn’t we _just_ go over this?” She tried to joke, but he could see the worry on her face.

 

“I’m not letting him go out like that again.” He looked at the screen. He winced when Wasabi and Fred were both knocked off of a high platform, only to be saved by one of Honey’s chemical bombs.

 

“Good luck telling him that.” Cass shook her head. “I’ve tried.” She grabbed another donut off the plate.

 

Tadashi huffed. “I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” And he disappeared into the makeshift lab again.

 


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second update of the day, to make up for the fact I had't posted in a super long time. 
> 
> I think one more chapter after this.

**We’re Okay**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

They fought for a good half hour with Krei’s robot-transformer-thing, having to dodge thrown pieces of his partially built but newly destroyed building. Fred and Wasabi got thrown off a platform when Krei’s robot slammed a steel beam into what the two males were standing on, sending them scrambling off the side seconds before the beam collided with them; one of Honey’s chemical bombs creating a soft foam for them to land on. The two managed to walk away from that with only a few bruises.

 

But the rest of the fight was tougher.

 

The robot was a good fifteen, twenty feet high, it was hard to estimate the height when you were running from it, or flying above it. And while it did seem like a Transformer from one of those Michael Bay movies, it didn’t have a face, it didn’t talk – it seemed somewhat intelligent, but it didn’t talk- it could still do damage to whatever it touched.

 

For a robot and AI system that Krei ‘designed and made’ it wasn’t very well thought out; while it was good at avoiding, or jut taking what the team threw at it, it lagged when it moved and jerked when it went in a certain way, and it had a blind spot.

 

And that’s what Hiro picked up on.

 

“Guys, it has a blind spot.” Hiro’s voice came over their in-helmet radios. “And when it goes to move it’s right side, it lags and jerks.”

 

“Weak spot.” Gogo’s voice replied. “Honey, do you have something that could weaken it further?” The shorter girl ducked when Krei’s robot tossed a piece of plywood that was used for some of the flooring in the building toward her. “Whoa!” She just barely made it behind some stacked cinderblocks as the wood flew in her direction.

 

“Yeah,” Honey’s out-of-breath voice responded. “I think I have something, Freddie, I’m going to need you to heat it up!” Honey was hidden behind the construction trailer with Wasabi, who was on the other end of the trailer making sure nothing was sneaking up on them.

 

“How is Krei controlling this thing?” The laser specialist asked.

 

There wasn’t a response, but Hiro and Baymax flew above everyone looking for just that. Then he noticed Krei’s assistant, who was fiddling with something behind her clipboard as she hid under the cover of the first floor of the not-even-a-quarter-finished building. “His assistant!” Hiro suddenly said. “She’s doing something and as soon as her hands stop moving, the robot reacts.”

 

“Alright, so Honey and Fred are going to go for the weak spot,” Wasabi began but got cut off.

 

“I’ll keep the assistant and robot distracted.” The adrenaline junkie announced.

 

“Gogo’ll keep the two occupied.” Wasabi agreed as he repeated. “I’ll try to get the controls away from her, and Hiro-”

 

“Will get the beams that are now flying toward civilians!” The fourteen year old stated as he and Baymax flew over to catch one of the support beams that were being thrown toward the police and S.W.A.T. team line.

 

“Now that’s a plan.” Wasabi sighed in relief now that he knew what he was doing.

 

(---)

 

Tadashi tried to not worry so much about Hiro, and his friends of course, and tried to believe that if something were to happen, Baymax is right there; and the fact that they all looked like they knew what they were doing. 

 

But he just couldn’t help it.

 

His littler brother, his fourteen year old little brother, was flying on the back of a robot that was never meant to fly. And they were flying above a robot that a very corrupt man paid someone to make for him to pass off as his own. They were flying above another robot that was throwing things at the police since the robot couldn’t hit the team of college students with self-made superpowers.

 

Tadashi’s heart promptly stopped when Hiro and Baymax where hit out of the sky and out of view of the news camera.

 

(---)

 

Honey and Fred slowly made their way from their hiding places to get behind the robot, and still stay out of eye-sight of the assistant controlling the Transformer-esque robot.

 

“He said right side, right?” Fred questioned quietly from beside his tall friend.

 

She nodded as she quickly thought what chemicals would react the fastest but need the least heating up. She shrugged when she thought back to the perfect recipe for chemical metal embrittlement. She typed in the chemical formula and silently hoped it would be heated up enough for it to actually work. “Ready?” She gave Fred a sideways look. “I’ve got to throw it and at the same time, you jump and heat it up so the second it hits that robot, that side will fall apart.” She whispered. “We only have one shot before the assistant is on to us.”

 

Fred nodded. He may not seem to take things seriously, but he could surprise you with the level of determination he has when he has to do something. “Tell me when.” He got ready to jump and light on her command.

 

(---)

 

Gogo zoomed from one side of the area to the other, occasionally zipping underneath the robot, skating circles around its feet.

 

She had to give the robot a little bit of credit, it was obvious it was an AI system as well, and that it was smart enough to sort of think on it’s own, trying to move at the right time to either crush her or simply move so she runs into it. But of course, like Hiro pointed out, it lagged when it moved. It seemed to think quickly enough, it just couldn’t get the message to the rest of its form, thus having to have the assistant assist it.

 

She gave a small laugh when it tried to follow her with its eyes but it couldn’t keep up. She even shot a glance at the woman under the cover of the building; _she_ could barely keep up with watching Gogo.

 

(---)

 

Wasabi snuck around the back of the building, while he was slightly bigger than most, he could definitely be quiet. He ducked behind objects and pillars and temporary support beams, he ninja rolled from side to side until he was just a few feet behind Krei’s assistant.

 

From the angle he had, Wasabi could plainly see her typing codes onto a tablet then the robot trying to chase Gogo react.

 

Silently, he apologized, being raised to never hit a woman, as he crept up behind her. While he didn’t hit her per se, he did knock the back of her legs so she lost her balance and fell, successfully dropping the things she had in her hands.

 

She glanced up at him as she reached for the tablet.

 

“I’m really sorry about this.” He said quickly before he stabbed one of his lasers into the piece of technology.

 

(---)

 

Honey had been watching for Wasabi, waiting for him to either get whatever was controlling the robot, or just the assistant’s attention. When Honey saw one of his lasers go through something she turned to Fred.

 

“Now!” She tossed the orange chemical metal embrittlement up into the air toward Krei’s Transformer.

 

At the exact same time, Fred jumped and sent a ball of flame with the orange chemical.

 

They both hit their target; at the same time the Transformer went to throw a rolled up sheet of metal. The blast knocked the robot off balance, but it still threw the metal, while it was knocked off it’s original course of what looked like towards the police line, it still made contact with someone a little closer to heart.

 

Hiro and Baymax.

 

Honey and Fred both froze as they watched the two go down.

 

(---)

 

The force of whatever hit them separated Hiro from Baymax, sending them to different sides of the blocked off campus grounds.

 

The younger Hamada sat up slowly when his chest started to hurt. He let out a little groan of pain as he pushed himself to his feet. “Guys?” He asked when nothing but static came through his headset. “Hello?”

 

Nothing. Just white noise.

 

“Great.” He exhaled shakily when he moved and pain automatically blossomed in his chest.

 

“Hello, Hiro.” Krei walked in front of the young teen seemingly coming from thin air.

Hiro straightened, holding in a wince when his ribs protested. _Ribs are definitely broken, if not, at least cracked._ He thought to himself. “You were a part of this, this whole time.” He stated.

 

Krei gave a smirk. “I am ‘guided by my own self-interests. I have cut corners and ignored sound science.’” He quoted Callaghan from months ago. “You guys had leads for just Robert being behind everything, why would I rat myself out? Hmm?” The man started circling Hiro like a hunter would circle their prey, searching for the perfect time to pounce. “I saw a chance to be able to get further without Robert’s competition.”

 

Hiro never let his back face the man completely, slowly turning with Krei. “But you just left my brother on that island.” The boy muttered, knowing full well that’s where Tadashi was kept, even though Tadashi never actually mentioned it; the young adult had a habit of talking in his sleep when he was stressed, and he had mentioned Akuma Island a few times.

 

Krei chuckled. “And risk more competition?”

 

Hiro was seeing red again. This man left Tadashi trapped in a room on an island because the man felt threatened with future success? Because Tadashi had the mind to create actual things that would help improve life while Krei just ‘came up’ things that were just improvements on things that didn’t need to be improved? “You’re a despicable man.” Hiro spat the words as if they were poison on his tongue. 

 

The tech guru nodded as he stopped in front of Hiro again. “I have been told that, yes. And I agree with you.” He leaned down a bit so he was more eye-level with the short teenager. “But that’s how you get to the top. That’s how you stay at the top.”

 

The team chose just them to surround them, having taken down the robot Krei had, his assistant already in handcuffs.

 

Krei stood back to his full height when he noticed everyone surrounding them. “To answer you’re earlier question, yeah, I had something to do with the fire. Had something to do with everything, honestly.” He took a step back from Hiro as police came up to handcuff him.

 

Fred walked to Hiro’s side, putting a hand on the kid’s shoulder to guide him away from that monster of a man in front of him. “Come on, Hiro.” He spoke softly as they started to walk away from Krei, Fred standing in between the two.

 

(---)

 

Cass froze when Krei was brought onto the screen, police standing on either side of him as they tried to lead him to a police car. Reporters kept throwing questions at him left and right.

 

“Did you have something to do with the fire?” One reporter’s question reached Krei, who stopped walking, tugging the police to a stand still.

 

The tech giant looked at the reporter, then the camera, which just happened to be the camera for the news station Cass was watching.

 

“Yes I did.” He admitted, not even looking the least bit sorry. “I went in to steal one of the inventions at the showcase, ran in to Callaghan, and we both came up with an agreement to steal the tech in hopes of restoring one of out old projects. Things did get a bit out of hand, we didn’t meant to actually hurt anyone, but it became inevitable when certain factors and events happened.” He finished and walked away, toward the police car.

 

“What about the kidnapping?” Another brave reporter questioned as Krei passed.

 

The man stopped again and looked at the reporter. “What about it?” He asked back.

 

“Were you part of that too?” The reporter clarified.

 

Krei nodded. “Yes I was. Didn’t plan on it, but like I just said, some events happened, mistakes were made and here we are.” And with that, Krei turned to walk toward the police car again, this time not stopping to answer questions.

 

Cass froze. How many times were they going to call Tadashi’s heroic attempt a mistake? He had gone in to try to save his professor, who he thought was stuck inside. He had tried to do a very good thing, but just ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time and ran into the wrong people.

 

That’s not what she would call a mistake, a not-very-well-thought-out-heroic-act yes, but not a mistake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I’ve been writing more detail lately. Do you think I’ve improved with that?


	23. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Last Chapter.

**We’re Okay**

**Epilogue**

 

 

Cass and Tadashi sat in the living room, the television turned off, as they waited on Hiro to get home.

 

“Is he always out this late?” Tadashi quietly asked. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that his little brother, his college project, and his friends were all part of this superhero team. He was also trying to get it in his head that Krei _had_ admitted to practically everything in three short answers. On live television.

 

Tadashi didn’t really know Krei that well, but had heard more about him from Callaghan, Tadashi cringed at the thought of _that_ name, but he honestly didn’t think that Krei would have admitted to anything at all.

 

Cass shifted her head side to side. “Not usually, but they do work with the police and other law enforcement, so sometimes it takes a bit to get everything written out.” She glanced at the clock, the hands on the clock indicated it was a little after midnight. “Well,” She started but had to stop when she yawned. “I’m going to shut my eyes for a bit. If he’s not back by two, wake me up so I can go down to the station and _pleasantly_ remind them of the state’s mandatory minors’ curfew.” She smiled softly.

 

Tadashi scoffed. _Pleasantly? Right._ Cass couldn’t pleasantly remind someone anything if she was in a ticked off mood. “For the police sake, I hope he does get in before two.”

 

She laughed. “I’m sure he will.” She stood up to walk around the couch and chair to make her way to her room. “Good night honey.” She leaned over and kissed the side of his face. “Get some sleep soon. He’ll be home in a bit.” She gently told him.

 

“Night Aunt Cass.” Tadashi bid her a goodnight as she walked away. He made no indication that he was going to move until his brother was safe and sound within the walls of their house. He pulled the blanket down from the back of the chair and grabbed his book off the table.

 

The fourteen year old didn’t walk through the door until a little before one in the morning. The teen trudged in, looking so unbelievably tired as he dragged his feet across the floorboards, Baymax in tow.

 

“There you are.” Tadashi quietly said as he looked over toward the stairs when he heard a noise. He closed the book that he attempted to read, but only ended up rereading the first page more than a dozen times, and placed it back on the coffee table.

 

Hiro jumped a little, his brother’s voice startling him. “Holy geez! Do you have to do that?” The tired teen hissed.

 

Tadashi gave him a sheepish smile. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He moved to sit up a little straighter as Hiro made his way into the living room.

 

“Baymax, you can go upstairs and charge.” Hiro muttered to the robot, the white vinyl gave a small nodded and continued up to the second floor. “I didn’t know you were waiting up.” The fourteen year old said as he dropped his scrapped up helmet on one of the dinning room chairs before continuing his way to the living room, leaving the rest of his suit on. “I would have hurried up.” He plopped in the chair with his older brother. “Although, I honestly should have known better.” Past experience said that Tadashi _would_ be up waiting.

 

The older Hamada didn’t waste a second and instantly had Hiro pulled into a tight hug, completely missing the way that Hiro winced; not knowing that fact that his little superhero brother had a few cracked ribs and a severely bruised left side.

 

But Hiro didn’t say anything to get Tadashi to lighten his grip. Instead he just leaned into the embrace and sighed. The thought that Krei had known where Tadashi was, hadn’t said anything, and left the twenty-one year old to die on that island because Krei was scared of the fact Tadashi had a brilliant mind, still ran laps in _Hiro’s_ mind. He thought he lost his brother to one man’s greed, and then come to find out he could have lost Tadashi to _two_ men’s greed.

 

He sighed and relaxed a fraction when he was reminded that Tadashi was safe, Tadashi was home, and Tadashi was all right for the most part. Hiro could hear Tadashi breathing above him, could feel Tadashi’s heart beat beneath him, and could smell the green tea shampoo Tadashi uses all around him.

 

Hiro gave a small smile and hugged his older brother back.

_‘We’re Okay.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this ends this story.   
> ^_^  
> Good news though!   
> There’s another story (and another I’ve got mentally planned, if you want that); although, this story might (should) be significantly shorter than You’re Okay and We’re Okay. (But that’s mostly because I’m too lazy to really think up roughly three months of torture and abuse for the poor guy.)


End file.
